title: The timed-pregnant baboon animal model can be used for determining the role of soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1 and 2 during development.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During pregnancy, mechanisms that allow for regulation of continuous fetal and placental vasculogenesis with prevention of maternal neo-vascularization remain elusive. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) biological system has a key role during vasculogenesis. The aims of this study were to validate a bioassay for soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptors 1 and 2 (sVEGFR-1 and sVEGFR-2) in baboon plasma and to determine the maternal and fetal plasma concentration of these receptors at the end of the baboon pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal peripheral blood samples were obtained from eight baboons (Papio anubis) prior to elective cesarean section and from the umbilical cord after the fetuses were delivered. Spike and recovery experiments at various concentrations in pooled baboon maternal plasma were used to validate a human quantitative sandwich immunoassay for sVEGFR-1 and -2. Concentrations of sVEGFR-1 and -2 were then determined in maternal and fetal plasma samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant correlations were observed between sVEGFR-1 or -2 concentrations in maternal and fetal circulations. The concentration of sVEGFR-1 was at least 30 times greater and that of sVEGFR-2 approximately two times greater, in maternal than in cord plasma (both P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that baboons can be used to study the regulation of vasculogenesis during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA. jsantolaya@partners.org
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santolaya-Forgas
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edwin
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zeiter
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pitt
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pineles
authors.forename: Adi L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Tarca
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: Juan Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kusanovic
authors.forename: Offer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erez
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D023421:Models, Animal; D048530:Papio anubis / Q000097:blood / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2