title: Alterations in the 'local umbilical cord blood renin-angiotensin system' during pre-eclampsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Local autocrine-paracrine renin-angiotensin system (RAS), independently functioning from the circulating RAS, is present in major organs of the female reproductive tract. We have previously demonstrated 'a local RAS in human umbilical cord' via verifying the corresponding ACE, renin, and angiotensinogen mRNAs. The aim of this study is to search alterations of the local umbilical cord RAS during pre-eclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cord blood samples were obtained from 19 patients with pre-eclampsia (aged mean 26.6 ± 5.83 (range 18-42) years) and 20 women with normal pregnancy (aged mean 28.26 ± 7.30 (range 19-37) years). Women with uncomplicated pregnancy formed the control group. Real time quantitative PCR analysis for ACE, renin and angiotensinogen gene expressions were carried out using a LightCycler™ instrument.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean expression ratios were 0.0029 ± 0.0015 for renin, 0.153 ± 0.166 for angiotensinogen, and 0.220 ± 0.294 for ACE, in control samples. The mean expression ratios of pre-eclamptic patients were 0.0061 ± 0.00068, 0.035 ± 0.008, and 0.030 ± 0.006 for renin, angiotensinogen and ACE genes, respectively. While renin expressions increased in the local cord blood of pre-eclampsia in comparison to the normal cord blood, unpredictable decrements in the angiotensinogen and ACE expressions were observed within the same pre-eclamptic samples. There were no statistically significant differences between intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) newborns in respect to renin, angiotensinogen and ACE gene expressions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings indicate that the gene expression in the major components of the local RAS does not represent a constant mathematical model, but is affected from the ongoing pathobiological events associated with the disease course. Local umbilical cord blood RAS alterations at the basis of genetic expression are evident in pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Acar
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Beyazit
authors.forename: Ayhan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sucak
authors.forename: Ibrahim C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Haznedaroglu
authors.forename: Salih
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aksu
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ozturkkan
authors.forename: Nuri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Danisman
authors.forename: Tugrul
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Purnak
authors.forename: Muge
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Misirlioglu
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kekilli
authors.forename: Leyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mollamahmutoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000809:Angiotensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012083:Renin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000809:Angiotensins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C488034:ACE protein, human; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A; D012083:Renin