ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study is to measure the level of concentration of angiogenin, a cause of potent neovascularization and a marker of ischemia, and of interleukin-6 (IL-6), an indicator of acute inflammation, in the amniotic fluid of patients with elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG level during the second-trimester. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG level (>2.5 MoM) at double screening test of Down syndrome were compared with the controlled group (<2.0 MoM). This study includes singleton gestation, gestational age of 14-18 weeks, and has no evidence of fetal structural and chromosomal anomalies. The levels of amniotic angiogenin and IL-6 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. p value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Amniotic angiogenin levels in the studied group were much lower than those in the controlled group (p<0.05), whereas the difference of IL-6 levels between the two groups was not significant. Nine studied patients delivered small for gestational age infants, but only one controlled patient (p<0.05) had the same infant. Other variables of perinatal outcome were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: That amniotic fluid angiogenin levels are significantly lower in patients with elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG suggests an inadequate angiogenesis. Elevated maternal serum free beta-hCG levels correlate with fetal growth restriction. IL-6 values in both groups have no significant difference.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant , Pregnancy , Amniotic Fluid , Chorionic Gonadotropin , Down Syndrome , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fetal Development , Gestational Age , Inflammation , Interleukin-6 , Ischemia , Mass Screening , Pregnancy Trimester, SecondABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the possible role of Tumor necrotic factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in development of preeclampsia, and to define the alteration of plasma TNF-alpha concentration in association with fetal growth restriction in preeclamptic women. METHODS: Maternal blood samples were retrieved from 10 normal pregnancies, 10 pregnancies complicated with small for gestational age neonate of unknown cause, 10 preeclampsia with fetal growth restriction, and 10 preeclampsia without fetal growth restriction. The concentrations of TNF-alpha were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha were significantly increased in preeclamptic women (p<0.05). However, there were no major differences in relation to fetal growth restriction. In idiopathic SGA group, the cytokine levels were significantly decreased compared to normal pregnancy (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increased concentrations of maternal plasma TNF-alpha in preeclamptic women suggest that preeclampsia may be an immunologic disorder. Though TNF-alpha influences on the fetal growth, it may not play a major role in the pathophysiology of fetal growth restriction in preeclampsia.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Cytokines , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fetal Development , Gestational Age , Plasma , Pre-Eclampsia , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the possible role of Tumor necrotic factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in development of preeclampsia, and to define the alteration of plasma TNF-alpha concentration in association with fetal growth restriction in preeclamptic women. METHODS: Maternal blood samples were retrieved from 10 normal pregnancies, 10 pregnancies complicated with small for gestational age neonate of unknown cause, 10 preeclampsia with fetal growth restriction, and 10 preeclampsia without fetal growth restriction. The concentrations of TNF-alpha were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: The plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha were significantly increased in preeclamptic women (p<0.05). However, there were no major differences in relation to fetal growth restriction. In idiopathic SGA group, the cytokine levels were significantly decreased compared to normal pregnancy (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increased concentrations of maternal plasma TNF-alpha in preeclamptic women suggest that preeclampsia may be an immunologic disorder. Though TNF-alpha influences on the fetal growth, it may not play a major role in the pathophysiology of fetal growth restriction in preeclampsia.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pregnancy , Cytokines , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Fetal Development , Gestational Age , Plasma , Pre-Eclampsia , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alphaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the changes of nitric oxide production in preeclampsia, the concentration of nitric oxide metabolite, nitrite, was measured in umbilical vein after perfusing plasma from normal pregnant women and preeclamptic pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 15 normal and 15 preeclamptic umbilical cords were obtained at the time of cesarean section. Two pieces of umbilical cord in equal length(20 cm in length) were prepared from each umbilical cord. Two pieces of umbilical cord were connected in parallel in a perfusion chamber. One piece of umbilical cord was perfused sequentially for 20-minutes' interval with the perfusates in the order of cord buffer, cord buffer including 15% normal pregnant serum, 15% normal pregnant serum with histamine(10-5mol/L), 15% normal pregnant serum with calcium ionophore A23187(5 mol/L) and the other one was perfused exactly same way using 15% preeclamptic serum instead of 15% normal pregnant serum. All the perfusates used were gassed with 95% O2 and 5% CO2 and warmed to 37degree C. Perfusates were collected in eppendorf tube and freezed at -70degree C until assayed. NO was measured by means of Greiss reaction. one way ANOVA and paired t-test were used where appropriate and p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: NO production in normal umbilical cords was not different regardless of perfusate. Although adding histamine and calcium ionophore, the NO production was slightly increased but statistically not significant in both groups. NO production in preeclamtic umbilical cords was significantly increased with 15% preclamptic serum(15% normal serum vs. 15% preeclamptic serum; 0.060+/-0.016microgram/ml/min vs 0.075+/-0.014microgram/ml/min, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The preeclamptic sera may not affect the production of NO in the human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The biologic significance of increased NO production in preeclamptic umbilical cord with perfusing preeclamptic serum is unknown, but it might be compensation for the vasoconstriction of preeclampsia.