[Investigation of adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1) in serum of nonpregnant women, normotensive pregnant women and in patients with pregnancy complications].
OBJECTIVE
An increased expression of endothelial adhesion molecules combined with neutrophil activation in the placental bed is to be assumed aetiopathogenetically relevant in preeclampsia.


METHODS
Ranges of sVCAM-1 serum concentrations of both control persons (29 nonpregnant and 25 normotensive pregnant women) and patients with different complications of pregnancy (HELLP-syndrome n = 10, preeclampsia n = 12, gestational hypertension n = 38, diabetes n = 24, growth retardation n = 21) were determined by means of ELISA. Frozen placental samples of 5 normotensive and 10 hypertensive pregnant women were investigated immunhistochemically to study the distribution of VCAM-1 in the placenta.


RESULTS
Significantly elevated sVCAM-1 serum levels (p < 0.05) were identified in samples of patients with HELLP syndrome, preeclampsia, diabetes and gestational hypertension compared with serum levels of normotensive pregnant women. The cut-off level (97.5% percentile of normotensive serum levels) was calculated (775 ng/ml). VCAM-1 was localized immunhistochemically at capillaries of villi and main villi.


CONCLUSIONS
There are closed relations between elevated serum levels of sVCAM-1 during pregnancy and diseases with vasculopathies of placental bed.
Kunkel
S
S
Frauenklinik, Universität Rostock.
Briese
V
V
Rohde
E
E
Friese
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000097:blood; D017359:HELLP Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1