Accuracy of Soluble Endoglin for Diagnosis of Preeclampsia and its Severity

Background: The use of biomarkers for diagnosis of Preeclampsia [PE], a life-threatening pregnancy disorder, could reduce serious complications of this disease. In this study, we investigated dysregulation of endoglin [Eng] expression and diagnostic accuracy of soluble endoglin [sEng] in PE patients

Methods: For this case-control study, 26 mild and 15 severe preeclamptic women along with 20 normotensive controls were recruited. The expression level of Eng [the co-receptor of TGF-[31] was evaluated using qRT-PCR

Also, the serum concentration of soluble Eng and expression of membranous Eng were determined by ELISA and immunohistochemistry

Results: A significant up-regulation in Eng mRNA and sEng levels was observed in PE patients versus normal controls. Immunohistochemistry [IHC] showed up-regulation of membranous Eng staining in syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast cells of PE patients

The serum levels of sEng were significantly increased in all patients [mild, sever, early- and late-onset] as compared to healthy pregnant women [P<0.001]. Receiver-operating characteristic [ROC] curve analysis revealed that sEng had the highest accuracy in distinguishing PE from normal pregnancies with cut-off value of 20.4, sensitivity of 92.1%, specificity of 90%, and area under the curve [AUC] of 0.94 [95% Cl: 0.88-1.00]

Conclusions: Our data showed that the up-regulation of Eng mRNA along with its membranous and soluble form in PE patients leads to defect in angiogenesis pathway. Also, the results of this study revealed sEng potential as a marker for diagnosis of PE and its severity

Expression of placental growth factor mRNA in preeclampsia

Background: preeclampsia [PE] is a serious complication of pregnancy with hallmarks of incomplete placentation, placental ischemia and endothelial dysfunction. Imbalance between vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], placenta growth factor [PlGF] and their receptors play important role in pathophysiology of PE

Objective: this study was aimed to asses PlGF mRNA expression in placenta of women affected with PE

Material and Methods: in this cross-sectional study, expression of PlGF mRNA was evaluated in 26 mild PE cases, 15 severe preeclamptic women and 20 normotensive controls. Patients were sub-classified as early onset PE [9] and late onset [32]. After RNA extraction, PlGF expression was quantified with qRT-PCR

Results: the results of PlGF mRNA expression between mild-severe, and early-late onset PE patients showed no statistically significant difference compared with the control group [p=0.661, p=0.205 respectively]

Conclusion: despite we found no distinct differential expression of PlGF mRNA in placental tissue of PE patients compared with control women, but according to decreased level of this angiogenic factor in PE even before clinical onset of the disease, determining molecular mechanisms related to reduced secretion of PlGF into the maternal circulation may be useful for future therapeutics