Insulin-like growth factor-I in women with hydatidiform mole and in normal pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To compare molar and placental tissue insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels and IGF-I messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and maternal serum IGF-I levels in molar and normal pregnancies of the same gestational length.


METHODS
Tissue and serum total IGF-I were measured by radioimmunoassay, and tissue IGF-I mRNA expression was measured by a solution hybridization technique in samples from seven patients with hydatidiform mole in gestational weeks 8 through 14 and from 12 women with normal placentas undergoing induced abortion during weeks 8 through 12.


RESULTS
Tissue and serum total IGF-I levels and tissue IGF-I mRNA expression were significantly lower in molar pregnancies than in pregnancies with normal placenta.


CONCLUSIONS
The lower levels of both IGF-I mRNA and of the IGF-I protein itself in hydatidiform mole indicates that the regulation of expression of IGF-I is on the transcriptional level. This finding may reflect a decreased production of the placental growth hormone variant in molar tissue.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden.
I L
IL
Wihman
K
K
Carlström
M
M
Faxén
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006828:Hydatidiform Mole / Q000737:chemistry*; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I