title: Can circulatory fetal DNA be used to study placentation at high altitude?
abstract: Pregnancy at high altitude (>2700 m) is associated with higher rates of fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia as well as alterations in placentation, including increased villous vascularization and reduced remodeling of maternal spiral arteries. Because circulatory fetal DNA concentrations were shown to be enhanced in pregnancies affected by preeclampsia, we investigated whether similar elevations are also apparent in pregnancies at high altitude by examining ethnic Tibetans and recent migrant Han Chinese residents in Lhasa (altitude 3650 m) as well as Han Chinese residents in Guangzhou (altitude 7 m). Our data from this preliminary study (n = 10/study group) indicate that circulatory fetal DNA levels were significantly higher in the unremarkable pregnancies of Han women who moved to Tibet when compared to Han women at sea level. No significant difference could be discerned between migrant Han Chinese and ethnic Tibetans living in Lhasa. Our data, therefore, suggest that pregnancy at high altitude is associated with an increased liberation of cell-free fetal DNA and that no major ethnic differences are apparent.
authors.affiliation: University Women's Hospital/Department of Research, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Xiao Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Yiming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Suqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.lastname: Labu
authors.lastname: Pubuzhuoma
authors.lastname: Gesangzhuogab
authors.lastname: Ouzhuwangmu
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Holzgreve
authors.forename: Sinuhe
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D001724:Birth Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood; D006801:Humans; D010929:Placentation; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D004247:DNA