Suppression of serum vascular endothelial growth factor immunoreactivity in normal pregnancy and in pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations are altered in pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
Serum was prepared from peripheral venous blood and stored at -70 degrees C. Serum VEGF concentrations were measured by ELISA.


METHODS
University of Glasgow Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow.


METHODS
Twenty-two healthy nonpregnant volunteer women, 34 normal pregnant women and 34 women with pre-eclampsia were studied.


RESULTS
Serum concentrations of VEGF were significantly lower in normal pregnant women (median value 12.89 pg/mL) than in nonpregnant women (median value 166 pg/mL; P < 0.0001). In pre-eclampsia VEGF concentrations were significantly lower (median value 2.34 pg/mL) than normal pregnancies (P < 0.0001). Postpartum concentrations of VEGF in the group complicated by pre-eclampsia (median value 76.42 pg/mL) were not significantly different from nonpregnant values (P = 0.2).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results show that serum concentrations of VEGF are suppressed in pregnancy and further reduced in pre-eclampsia. Further studies to elucidate the mechanisms which lead to a reduction in VEGF concentrations may provide new clues to the aetiology of this disorder.
Lyall
F
F
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
Greer
I A
IA
Boswell
F
F
Fleming
R
R
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D008222:Lymphokines; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors