Investigation of Serum Pregnancy-Specific Beta-1-Glycoprotein and Relationship with Fetal Growth Restriction.

OBJECTIVE: The most used definition for fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a fetus whose estimated weight is below the 10th percentile for its gestational age. Pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein (PSG-1) is an immunomodulator found in maternal serum during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the serum levels of PSG-1 and clarify the potential role of this molecule in the etiopathogenesis of FGR. METHODS: Eighty women carrying fetuses with FGR and 80 healthy pregnant women were included in the study. Demographic data, laboratory values, and Doppler Ultrasonography (USG) results of all cases were recorded. Venous blood samples were taken from all cases before birth. PSG-1 values were studied by the ELISA method. An Independent Samples T-test was used to evaluate the results. The correlations between parameters were evaluated based on Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. P-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: When the groups were evaluated for serum PSG-1 levels, the median serum PSG-1 level was lower in pregnant women carrying fetuses with FGR than in controls (0.05 < p>0.10). Median serum PSG-1 was lower in patients with absent end diastolic flow (AEDF) in the umbilical artery in Doppler ultrasound scans than in patients without AEDF, but the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In patients with serum PSG-1 values below 12.93 with 50% sensitivity and 76% specificity, the risk of FGR was higher. CONCLUSIONS: Serum PSG-1 levels may be lower in complicated pregnancies due to problems related to placental insufficiency and FGR.

Comparison of serum human pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein 1 levels in pregnant women with or without preeclampsia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the maternal serum levels of pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein 1 (PSG1) and preeclampsia, and to compare levels of PSG1 in pregnancies with preeclampsia and uneventful pregnancies. A case-control study was conducted in a research and training hospital. A total of 40 women with preeclampsia and 42 healthy pregnant women who were gestational age-matched were included. Serum PSG1 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The maternal serum PSG1 levels were significantly lower in patients with preeclampsia compared with controls (11.60 ± 8.08 vs. 17.58 ± 9.72 ng/mL, p = .003). Circulating PSG1 levels were negatively correlated with age in the preeclampsia and control groups (r = -0.322, p = .043), (r = -0.430, p = .005). PSG1 levels, age, blood urea nitrogen levels and birth weight were significantly associated with high odds of having preeclampsia. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis confirmed that the area under ROC curve was 0.707 (95% CI: [0.595-0.819], p < .001) for PSG1. The optimal cut-off value of PSG1 for detecting preeclampsia was ≤ 11.80 ng/mL. There may be a decrease in PSG1 production in preeclampsia-complicated pregnancies where there are pathologies related to placenta formation. A decline in PSG1 concentrations may reflect placental dysfunction.Impact StatementWhat is already known on this subject? Previous studies have reported abnormal pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (PSG) levels in complicated pregnancies and demonstrated their importance in maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Human PSG homologues have been identified in species with haemochorial placentation such as non-human primates, rats and mice, where foetal cells are in direct contact with the maternal circulation. There are studies in which there is no clear relationship between PSGs and preeclampsia.What the results of this study add? We have demonstrated that circulating PSG1 levels were significantly lower in women with preeclampsia than in healthy pregnant women. There may be a decrease in PSG1 production in preeclampsia-complicated pregnancies where there are pathologies related to placenta formation and function. The results obtained from this current study could be used to clarify the relationship between PSG1 levels and preeclampsia.What the implications are for clinical practice and/or further research? Evaluation of the role of circulating PSG1 levels in preeclampsia would be helpful in order to design further studies to determine the feasibility of using PSG1 as a serum marker to predict the risk of developing preeclampsia. The screening performance of PSG1 for preeclampsia is not yet clinically relevant, but may become so when evaluated together with other placental proteins. This will give a lead to further researches which could focus on the early detection of preeclampsia with the combination of several serum markers.