Circulating cell-free fetal messenger RNA levels after fetoscopic interventions of complicated pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine fetal gene expression in maternal plasma after fetoscopic intervention for twin-twin transfusion syndrome or congenital diaphragmatic hernia.


METHODS
Twelve women with pregnancies that were complicated by twin-twin transfusion syndrome and 10 women carrying fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia were sampled before and sequentially after treatment. Levels of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, human placental lactogen, and gamma globin messenger RNA were measured by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction amplification.


RESULTS
At all time points, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase messenger RNA levels were higher in the congenital diaphragmatic hernia cases than in the twin-twin transfusion syndrome cases (P < .05), but during the immediate postoperative observation period, there were no significant changes in glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, human placental lactogen, or gamma globin messenger RNA levels in individual patients or patients who were grouped by procedure.


CONCLUSIONS
Fetoscopic intervention of complicated pregnancies does not affect circulating fetal messenger RNA levels, which is in contrast to earlier observations that circulating fetal DNA levels increase after laser ablation for twin-twin transfusion syndrome. Plasma glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase messenger RNA levels could be a potential novel biomarker for fetal trauma.
Tjoa
May Lee
ML
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
Jani
Jacques
J
Lewi
Liesbeth
L
Peter
Inga
I
Wataganara
Tuangsit
T
Johnson
Kirby L
KL
Bianchi
Diana W
DW
Deprest
Jan A
JA
D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005330:Fetofetal Transfusion / Q000601:surgery*; D005332:Fetoscopy; D015870:Gene Expression; D005914:Globins / Q000032:analysis; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases / Q000097:blood; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000601:surgery*; D065630:Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D010928:Placental Lactogen / Q000032:analysis; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005914:Globins; D010928:Placental Lactogen; D005987:Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases