Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in trophoblast populations of placenta accreta

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein in trophoblast populations of placenta accreta. Study design Paraffin sections of 43 placental specimens with (cases) and 43 without (controls) placenta accreta were studied immunohistochemically for epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 expression in the syncytiotrophoblast, villous cytotrophoblast, and extravillous cytotrophoblast. Epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 protein levels were also performed by Western blot analysis. Controls were matched for gestational age in this case-control study. Results The percentage of strong/intermediate immunoreactivity of epidermal growth factor receptor in the syncytiotrophoblast was significantly higher in cases (98%) than controls (79%; odds ratio,11.1; 95% CI, 1.3-92.0; P = .03), although strong/intermediate immunoreactivity of c-erbB-2 in the syncytiotrophoblast was significantly lower in cases (35%) than controls (81%; odds ratio, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.1-0.3; P< .001). Epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 expression in the villous and extravillous cytotrophoblastic cells were not significantly different between controls and cases (P > .05). Most immunoreactive bands on Western blots were consistent with the trends of immunohistochemical findings. Conclusion The development of placenta accreta is related closely to the differential expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and c-erbB-2 in the syncytiotrophoblast.