Elevated serum levels of the c-erbB-2 encoded oncoprotein fragment in cases of pure preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
During normal human ontogenesis an overexpression of the c-erbB-2 encoded oncoprotein p185 (HER2/neu) occurs in the placenta and on fetal epithelial cells. It is accompanied by the increase of a 105 kD fragment (p105) in both maternal serum and cord blood. We examined whether p105 levels in maternal serum are influenced by destructions of placental tissue, fetal growth disturbances and placental circulation disorders.


METHODS
We analysed p105 serum concentrations in patients with abortion (n = 25), ectopic pregnancy (n = 5), intrauterine growth retardation (n = 9), pregnancy induced hypertension (n = 24) and compared them with normal pregnancies of a corresponding gestational age.


RESULTS
Patients with abortions showed normal p105 values. Intrauterine growth retardation was associated with lower p105 levels (p < 0.05) whereas patients with pure preeclampsia (p < 0.001) and HELLP syndrome (p < 0.05) had significantly higher levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The elevation of p105 in sera of preeclamptic women could be due to an increased fetomaternal transfer of p105.
Meden
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
Mielke
S
S
Wuttke
W
W
Kuhn
W
W
D000030:Abortion, Missed / Q000097:blood; D000033:Abortion, Threatened / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood; D017359:HELLP Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000097:blood; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000097:blood*
D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases