Apoptotic activity in gestational trophoblastic disease correlates with clinical outcome: assessment by the caspase-related M30 CytoDeath antibody

• Published in: Histopathology 2001-03, Vol.38 (3), p.243-249
• Main Authors: Chiu, P M, Ngan, Y S, Khoo, U S, Cheung, A N Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abortion, Spontaneous - metabolism; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; caspase; Caspases - metabolism; Choriocarcinoma - metabolism; Diseases of mother, fetus and pregnancy; Female; Female genital diseases; Follow-Up Studies; gestational trophoblastic disease; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Hydatidiform Mole - metabolism; Hydatidiform Mole - pathology; In Situ Nick-End Labeling; Keratins - metabolism; M30; Medical sciences; Pregnancy; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Prognosis; Trophoblastic Neoplasms - metabolism; Trophoblastic Neoplasms - pathology; Trophoblastic Tumor, Placental Site - metabolism; Trophoblastic Tumor, Placental Site - pathology; Tropical medicine; Tumors; Uterine Neoplasms - metabolism; Uterine Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0309-0167; 1365-2559
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2559.2001.01065.x

The objective of this study was to assess apoptotic activity in gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) and its prognostic value in hydatidiform mole (HM). Expression of the specific caspase cleavage site within cytokeratin 18 was assessed immunohistochemically using the monoclonal antibody M30 CytoDeath in 12 spontaneous abortions, 22 partial and 57 complete HM, eight choriocarcinoma (CCA) and 28 normal placentas. The M30 immunoreactivity occurred predominantly in the syncytiotrophoblasts. A significantly higher M30 index in HM and CCA was found when compared with normal placentas and spontaneous abortions (P