title: beta-globin DNA in maternal plasma as a molecular marker of pre-eclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Levels of cell-free foetal DNA in maternal plasma are higher in the presence of clinical features of pre-eclampsia (PE). However, currently, this method is informative only in women bearing a male foetus, by amplification of Y-specific sequences. In the present study, we overcame this limitation by examining quantitative distribution of beta-globin, a foetal gender-independent DNA marker.
  
  
  METHODS
  We quantified beta-globin concentrations in the plasma of 207 pregnant women: control group, 164 subjects; affected group, 43 women affected by PE (n = 43). beta-globin concentrations were converted into multiples of the median of the controls (MoM), in order to assess the possible different distribution of beta-globin MoM in cases and controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adjusted MoM values were as follows: controls, 1.00 +/- 0.71; affected group 4.03 +/- 3.77 (p-value < 0.001). Among the PE affected cases, MoM beta-globin values of cases with foetal growth restriction (FGR) were almost twice as great as those cases without FGR (p-value = 0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  beta-globin levels are higher in the plasma of pregnant women with PE, especially in those cases complicated with FGR, and do not depend on foetal gender. Such a molecular marker can potentially be used in evaluating the pathophysiological severity of PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Showa University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. sekizawa@med.showa-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sekizawa
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koide
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Susumi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honma
authors.forename: Kiyotake
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichizuka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okai
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood; D005914:Globins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005914:Globins; D004247:DNA