The development of a genetic profile of placental gene expression during the first trimester of pregnancy: a potential tool for identifying novel secreted markers.
OBJECTIVE
Many of the maternal serum markers used in prenatal screening have been developed or evolved based on serendipity. This study determines the feasibility of developing a genetic profile of placental gene expression during early pregnancy; such a gene repertoire may serve as a tool for identifying novel secreted markers.


METHODS
RNA fingerprinting was used to produce a differential expression map in normal aborted placentae of weeks 9 and 13.


RESULTS
Out of 212 gene expression differences, 115 were up-regulated at week 9 and the remaining 97 up-regulated at week 13. Ninety-four were found to be previously characterised genes and 118 were expressed sequence tags or novel genes. Seven of the known genes were found to be secreted proteins and included well-characterised pregnancy markers. mRNA levels of these secreted proteins were found to correlate with levels found in maternal serum.


CONCLUSIONS
This approach enabled the identification of known secreted markers leaving open the possibility of finding new markers. With the human genome project nearing completion, it will be vital to use a systematic approach to understand the actual pattern of gene expression during pregnancy. This will also allow a more ordered and precise identification of novel prenatal diagnostic markers.
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School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, London, UK. sasnpage@reading.ac.uk
Butlin
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Manyonda
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Lowry
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D017385:Sequence Homology; D012984:Software
D015415:Biomarkers; D012313:RNA