Maternal serum angiopoietin-1 and -2 and tie-2 in early pregnancy ending in preeclampsia or intrauterine growth retardation.
BACKGROUND
The antiangiogenic growth factor angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) antagonizes, whereas angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) activates the endothelial cell-specific tyrosine kinase receptor-2 (Tie-2). In preeclampsia, circulating concentrations of Ang-1 are increased and those of Ang-2 and Tie-2 are decreased.


OBJECTIVE
We wanted to study whether maternal serum concentrations of Ang-1, Ang-2, and Tie-2 are altered at gestational wk 12-15 or 16-20 in women with subsequent preeclampsia or intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR).


METHODS
This was a case-control study.


METHODS
The study was conducted in Helsinki University Central Hospital, a tertiary referral center.


METHODS
This study comprised 124 pregnant women, of whom 49 developed preeclampsia and 16 gave birth to infants with IUGR, and 59 healthy women served as controls.


METHODS
Serum concentrations of Ang-1, Ang-2, and Tie-2 were assessed by ELISA. Data were combined with our earlier data on soluble VEGF receptor (sVEGFR)-1.


RESULTS
At gestational wk 12-15, the median concentrations of Ang-1, Ang-2, or Tie-2 were all similar between the study groups. At 16-20 wk, Ang-2 concentrations were higher in women with subsequent preeclampsia [25.0 ng/ml, 19.3-39.5 ng/ml; median, interquartile range (IQR)] than in the controls (17.7 ng/ml, 10.8-27.4 ng/ml, P = 0.006). The odds ratio of high Ang-2 concentrations for subsequent preeclampsia was 4.2 (95% confidence interval 1.4-12.6; P = 0.011) and high Ang-2 combined with high sVEGFR-1, 6.4 (95% confidence interval 2.2-18.7; P = 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Maternal serum Ang-2 concentrations are increased prior to preeclampsia. High concentrations of both Ang-2 and sVEGFR-1 indicate subsequent disease.
Leinonen
Elina
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Biomedicum, Helsinki 00029 HUS, Finland. elina.a.leinonen@helsinki.fi
Wathén
Katja-Anneli
KA
Alfthan
Henrik
H
Ylikorkala
Olavi
O
Andersson
Sture
S
Stenman
Ulf-Håkan
UH
Vuorela
Piia
P
D000328:Adult; D042683:Angiopoietin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
C467630:ANGPT1 protein, human; D042683:Angiopoietin-1; D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1