title: The role of the anti-angiogenic factor endostatin in intrauterine growth restriction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the impact of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) on anti-angiogenesis, by determining and comparing circulating levels of the potent anti-angiogenic factor endostatin, in full-term IUGR (under the 10th customized centile) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses, neonates, as well as their mothers, granted that IUGR implies hypoxia and endostatin is down-regulated by the latter.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 20 IUGR cases (mainly due to hypertension or preeclampsia) and 20 AGA controls we determined circulating endostatin levels, by enzyme immunoassay in the serum of mothers (MS), umbilical cords (UC-mixed arteriovenous blood)-representing the fetal state, and asymptomatic neonates on day 1 (N1) and 4 (N4) of life-signifying transition and stabilization to extrauterine life, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endostatin levels were significantly higher in AGA than IUGR UC, N1, and N4 (P <.0000, P = .0006, P = .024, respectively). Furthermore, UC endostatin levels positively correlated with the customized centiles of the infants (Spearman correlation coefficient 0.69, P = .00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IUGR is characterized by lower circulating endostatin concentrations in the fetus and neonate, possibly because under lower oxygen concentrations an unbalanced state of angiogenesis stimulators versus inhibitors takes place.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. malamitsi@aias.gr
authors.forename: Ariadne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malamitsi-Puchner
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boutsikou
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Economou
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makrakis
authors.forename: Zoe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Iliodromiti
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kouskouni
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hassiakos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D043169:Endostatins / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D043169:Endostatins