title: Quantitative aberrations of hypermethylated RASSF1A gene sequences in maternal plasma in pre-eclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study if quantitative aberrations in circulating placental-derived hypermethylated RASSF1A DNA in maternal plasma are associated with pre-eclamptic pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal plasma and placental tissues from third-trimester pre-eclamptic women and gestational-age matched normotensive controls were studied. Real-time PCR was performed to quantify RASSF1A concentrations before and after methylation-sensitive restriction digestion in a duplex assay, where ss-actin concentrations were quantified as an internal control to confirm complete enzyme digestion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median concentrations of hypermethylated RASSF1A were 4.3-fold higher in maternal plasma of pre-eclamptic subjects than in controls. There was no significant difference between the extent of RASSF1A hypermethylation in placental tissues obtained from pre-eclamptic and control pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the potential utility of hypermethylated RASSF1A sequences in maternal plasma as a gender- and polymorphism-independent marker for pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR.
authors.forename: Dana W Y
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Tsui
authors.forename: K C Allen
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Stephen S C
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chim
authors.forename: Lin-Wai
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tak-Yeung
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Tze-Kin
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Y M Dennis
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Rossa W K
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C411762:RASSF1 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins