Figure 1.

IHC of COMT expression in preterm control (A), term control (B), and preeclamptic (C) placentas. D: Negative treatment control. E: Staining intensity assessed by six blinded assessors on six preterm controls, seven term controls, and seven preeclamptic samples. The averaged score for each slide (see Supplemental Figure S1 at http://ajp.amjpathol.org for all slides) is shown, with horizontal lines representing the mean ± SEM. A Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare either preterm or term controls with preeclamptic samples (P ≤ 0.5974). Arrows indicate the syncytiotrophoblast; asterisk, villous stroma; and double asterisks, intervillous space.