Placental growth factor in the cerebrospinal fluid of women with preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
Recent data suggest that excess circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) may causally relate to preeclampsia. This study investigates the levels of sFlt-1, VEGF, and PlGF in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with preeclampsia and normotensive controls.


METHODS
CSF was collected from preeclamptic patients (n=15) and controls (n=7) at the time of spinal anesthesia and assayed for PlGF, sFlt-1, and VEGF (total and free) by specific immunoassays.


RESULTS
All sought angiogenic factors were measurable. Levels of free PlGF but not sFlt-1 or VEGF (total or free) were increased in CSF of preeclamptic women. There was no significant difference in the ratios of angiogenic factors in the CSF of women with preeclampsia. There was no correlation between levels of angiogenic factors and CSF cell counts or severity of symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated levels of PlGF in CSF preeclamptic women may promote vascular permeability and contribute to the hypertensive encephalopathy seen in such patients.
Foyouzi
N
N
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale-New Haven Hospital, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. nastaran.foyouzi@yale.edu
Norwitz
E R
ER
Tsen
L C
LC
Buhimschi
C S
CS
Buhimschi
I A
IA
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000032:analysis*
D015415:Biomarkers; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1