To investigate the expression and clinical significance of death association protein kinase-1（DAPK-1) and p62/SQSTM1 in placenta tissue of pregnant women with early-onset severe preelampsia（PE).Methods: Immunohistochemical SABC method was used to detect the expression of DAPK-1 and p62/SQSTM1 in 66 paraffin specimens, which included 26 specimens from the pregnant women with early severe PE in group A, 44 specimens from the pregnant women with late-onset severe PE in group B, and 30 specimens from the normal pregnant women in group C.Results: The positive expression rates of DAPK-1 of the specimens in group C, group B, and group A were 23.3%（7/30), 52.5%（21/40), and 92.3%（24/26), respectively, and which had significant different among the three groups（P<0.05).The positive expression rate of DAPK-1 of the specimens in group A was significant higher than that of the specimens in group C or in B（P<0.05), and which of the specimens in group B was also significant higher than that of the specimens in group C（P<0.05).The positive expression rates of p62/SQSTM1 of the specimens in group C, group B, and group A were 76.7%（23/30), 47.5%（19/40), and 19.2%（5/26), respectively, and which had significant different among the three groups（P<0.05).The positive expression rate of p62/SQSTM1 of the specimens in group A was significant lower than that of the specimens in group C or in B（P<0.05), and which in group B was also significant lower than that of the specimens in group C（P<0.05).The expression of DAPK-1 was negatively correlated with the expression of p62/SQSTM1（r=-0.505).Conclusion: The expressions of DAPK-1 and p62/SQSTM1 are related to the occurrence and development of PE, which may play the synergistic role.The levels of DAPK-1 and p62/SQSTM1 are relevant to the severity of PE.