title: Preeclampsia and pregnancies with small-for-gestational age neonates have different profiles of complement split products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The activation of the complement system results in the generation of split products with pro-inflammatory properties. The objective of this study was to determine whether preeclampsia and small-for-gestational age (SGA) are associated with changes in the maternal plasma concentrations of anaphylatoxins C3a, C4a and C5a.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in the following groups: (a) normal pregnant women (n = 134); (b) women who delivered an SGA neonate (n = 53); (c) preeclampsia with (n = 52) and without SGA (n = 54). Maternal plasma anaphylatoxin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) Women with preeclampsia with or without SGA had a significantly higher median plasma C5a concentration than that of normal pregnant women and those with SGA alone (all P < 0.01); (2) women with SGA alone did not have an increase in plasma C5a concentration; (3) in contrast, the median maternal plasma concentration of C4a was lower in women with preeclampsia and SGA than that of those with a normal pregnancy (P = 0.001); (4) no changes in C3a were observed among the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preeclampsia is associated with increased plasma concentration of C5a, regardless of the presence or absence of an SGA fetus. In contrast, there was no difference in the plasma C3a, C4a and C5a concentration in patients with SGA.
authors.affiliation: Perinatology Research Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH/DHHS, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Eleazar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Richani
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: Tinnakorn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaiworapongsa
authors.forename: Jyh Kae
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Nien
authors.forename: Sam S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Edwin
authors.forename: Yeon Mee
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Joon Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Luis F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: Lami
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazor
authors.forename: Sonia S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: Juan Pedro
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kusanovic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000706:Anaphylatoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D055442:Metabolome / Q000502:physiology; D009035:Mothers; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000706:Anaphylatoxins; D003165:Complement System Proteins