Longitudinal serum concentrations of placental growth factor: evidence for abnormal placental angiogenesis in pathologic pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
Complicated pregnancies demonstrate abnormal decidual and placental villous vasculature. We examined maternal concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor in normal pregnancies and in pregnancies that were complicated by isolated idiopathic small-for-gestational-age (SGA) newborn infants, preeclampsia alone, or preeclampsia with SGA newborn infants at the time of clinical disease and before the onset of clinical signs.


METHODS
Serum vascular endothelial growth factor and placental growth factor were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts of pregnant nulliparous women. The results were compared by Wilcoxon tests or a mixed-models method, respectively.


RESULTS
In the cross-sectional study, serum placental growth factor was reduced in abnormal pregnancy relative to control subjects (SGA newborn infants, 18 [P =.04]; preeclampsia, 20; or preeclampsia with small- for-gestational-age newborn infants, 11 [P =.0001]) as early as 15 to 19 weeks of gestation in preeclampsia with SGA newborn infants. Vascular endothelial growth factor was <30 pg/mL in all serum specimens from pregnant women.


CONCLUSIONS
We postulate that decreased placental growth factor production results in abnormalities of placental angiogenesis through direct and indirect effects on other vasculotropic growth factors.
Taylor
Robert N
RN
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Grimwood
Jane
J
Taylor
Rennae S
RS
McMaster
Michael T
MT
Fisher
Susan J
SJ
North
Robyn A
RA
D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000097:blood; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor