Placental expression and serum levels of cytokeratin-18 are increased in women with preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate placental expression and serum cytokeratin-18 in women with preeclampsia.


METHODS
Serum cytokeratin-18 was evaluated in 44 women with preeclampsia and 44 healthy pregnant women using an immunoradiometric assay. Placental expression of cytokeratin-18 was investigated in specimens from 23 women with preeclampsia and 20 healthy pregnant women by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Median serum cytokeratin-18 in women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women was 106.7 and 76.0 U/L, respectively (P =.02). Among women with preeclampsia, serum cytokeratin-18 was significantly associated with severity of disease (P =.001) and showed a sensitivity (standard error) and specificity (standard error) of 85% (7%) and 65% (12%), respectively. In placental specimens, the cytoplasm of the syncytiotrophoblast stained positive for cytokeratin-18 with strong and widespread staining in 83% and 45% of placental specimens of women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women, respectively (P =.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated serum cytokeratin-18 values are associated with disease severity in women with preeclampsia. Our data provide additional evidence that the placenta might be the source of the elevated serum cytokeratin-18 values in women with preeclampsia.
Hefler
L A
LA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. l-hefler@hotmail.com
Tempfer
C B
CB
Bancher-Todesca
D
D
Schatten
C
C
Husslein
P
P
Heinze
G
G
Gregg
A R
AR
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D017359:HELLP Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012372:ROC Curve; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000737:chemistry
D007633:Keratins