[Relationship between changes of endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and hydrolase and initiation of pre-eclampsia].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase-2 (DDAH-2)/asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in pathophiology of preeclampsia by detecting expression of DDAH-2 in placenta and serum plasma ADMA.


METHODS
From Jan. 2004 to Jan. 2005, 30 preeclampsia patients (PE group) were chosen in the Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College matched with 10 normal third trimester women as control (control group). The placental DDAH-2 mRNA expression was detected by fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) and the plasma concentration of ADMA was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).


RESULTS
(1) The level of ADMA in PE group was significantly higher that than of control group [(18.0 +/- 7.2) mg/L vs. (10.3 +/- 1.7) mg/L, P < 0.01]. The expression level of ADMA in preeclampsia occurring before 34 gestatinal weeks was significantly higher than that of preeclampsia occurring after 34 gestational weeks [(22.0 +/- 7.0) mg/L vs. (12.7 +/- 2.8) mg/L, P < 0.01]. (2) The Placental DDAH-2 mRNA expression in preeclampsia patients was remarkably lower than that of control group [1 x 10((5.23 +/- 0.45)) copy/microl vs. 1 x 10((5.65 +/- 0.08)) copy/microl, P < 0.01]. The Placental DDAH-2 mRNA in preeclampsia occurring before 34 gestatinal weeks was significantly lower than that of preeclampsia occurring after 34 gestational weeks [1 x 10((5.02 +/- 0.46)) copy/microl vs. 1 x 10((5.61 +/- 0.19)) copy/microl, P < 0.01].


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggested that low expression of DDAH-2 in placenta and increased serum ADMA level might confer the susceptibility to preeclampsia.
Huang
Yan-yi
YY
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510150, China.
Yao
Xi-bao
XB
Lu
Xing-hong
XH
Liu
Hui-shu
HS
Chen
Dun-jin
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000581:Amidohydrolases; C059999:dimethylargininase