Concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor C and D in amniotic fluid and maternal plasma.
OBJECTIVE
Vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and VEGF-D promote both endothelial and lymphatic vascularization during embryonic development. We studied their presence in amniotic fluid (AF) and maternal plasma during pregnancy.


METHODS
Descriptive study. Setting. University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Samples. AF at 14-20 weeks (n=20) and 38-41 weeks' of gestation (n=20), serial plasma samples (n=38) from 16 healthy pregnant women during 8-40 weeks of pregnancy, and plasma from 15 non-pregnant controls.


METHODS
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Main outcome measures. Concentrations of VEGF-C and -D in AF and maternal plasma.


RESULTS
VEGF-C concentrations in AF decrease as pregnancy advances (p=0.002) and are about 10-fold lower than in plasma at the corresponding gestational age (p=0.001). Plasma VEGF-C concentrations are higher in the first trimester (p=0.014) and the early second trimester (p=0.016) than in non-pregnant women. VEGF-D is not detectable in AF, but in plasma its concentrations become higher at term compared with non-pregnant women (p=0.039).


CONCLUSIONS
VEGF-C and -D are present in high concentrations in maternal plasma, while only VEGF-C can be detected in AF.
Wathén
Katja-Anneli
KA
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Biomedicum Helsinki, Finland. katja-anneli.wathen@helsinki.fi
Stenman
Ulf-Håkan
UH
Leinonen
Elina
E
Andersson
Sture
S
Vuorela
Piia
P
D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011264:Pregnancy Trimesters; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood
C467486:VEGFC protein, human; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C; D042643:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor D