title: A proteomic approach identifies early pregnancy biomarkers for preeclampsia: novel linkages between a predisposition to preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease.
abstract: Preeclampsia (PE) is a common, potentially life-threatening pregnancy syndrome triggered by placental factors released into the maternal circulation, resulting in maternal vascular dysfunction along with activated inflammation and coagulation. Currently there is no screening test for PE. We sought to identify differentially expressed plasma proteins in women who subsequently develop PE that may perform as predictive biomarkers. In seven DIGE experiments, we compared the plasma proteome at 20 wk gestation in women who later developed PE with an appropriate birth weight for gestational age baby (n=27) or a small for gestational age baby (n=12) to healthy controls with uncomplicated pregnancies (n=57). Of the 49 differentially expressed spots associated with PE-appropriate for gestational age, PE-small for gestational age or both (p<0.05, false discovery rate corrected), 39 were identified by LC-MS/MS. Two protein clusters that accurately (>90%) classified women at risk of developing PE were identified. Immunoblots confirmed the overexpression of fibrinogen gamma chain and alpha-1-antichymotrypsin in plasma prior to PE. The proteins identified are involved in lipid metabolism, coagulation, complement regulation, extracellular matrix remodeling, protease inhibitor activity and acute-phase responses, indicating novel synergism between pathways involved in the pathogenesis of PE. Our findings are remarkably similar to recently identified proteins complexed to high-density lipoprotein and linked to cardiovascular disease.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand. m.blumenstein@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blumenstein
authors.forename: Michael T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: McMaster
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Roneel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cooney
authors.forename: Lesley M E
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: McCowan
authors.forename: Garth J S
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Robyn A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: North
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; C027539:fibrinopeptides gamma; D005340:Fibrinogen