title: Feto-placental nitric oxide, asymmetric dimethylarginine and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and VEGF gene polymorphisms in severe preeclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To measure plasma nitric oxide (NO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels and VEGF gene polymorphisms in fetal circulation in severe preeclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cord vessels of singleton gestations complicated with severe preeclampsia 36 weeks or more (n = 31) and controls were sampled upon delivery for analyte measuring. Additionally, DNA was extracted from umbilical vein whole blood to determine the frequency of VEGF gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): -2578 A/C, -1498 C/T, -1154 A/G, -634 C/G and +936 C/T. Coefficient correlations between analyte levels and placental and neonatal weight were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  NO plasma levels in umbilical vessels (artery and vein) were significantly higher in preeclampsia cases as compared to controls (4.67 ± 3.0 vs. 0.82 ± 0.90; 4.46 ± 3.0 vs. 0.82 ± 0.99 mmol/L, respectively, p = 0.0001 both). ADMA levels displayed a similar increased trend in both fetal vessels, but this did not reach statistical significance (2.57 ± 1.03 vs. 2.34 ± 0.57; 2.74 ± 0.94 vs. 2.42 ± 0.59 mmol/L, respectively, p > 0.05). VEGF was significantly lower in artery but not in vein in preeclampsia cases (200.48 ± 225.62 vs. 338.61 ± 287.03 pg/mL, p = 0.04). A significant positive correlation was found between NO and ADMA levels (artery and vein) among preeclampsia cases. Overall, the frequency of the studied VEGF gene SNPs did not differ among pre-eclamptic cases and controls; nevertheless, a significant trend toward lower umbilical vein VEGF levels was observed in pre-eclampsia cases in the presence of -2578 CC and -1154 AG genotypes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Near term gestations complicated with severe preeclampsia presented higher NO levels in fetal circulation, which correlated to ADMA and lower artery VEGF values. More research is warranted to confirm that selected VEGF SNPs may be associated with lower umbilical vein VEGF.
authors.affiliation: High Risk Pregnancy Labor and Delivery Unit, Enrique C. Sotomayor Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Guayaquil, Ecuador. pchedraui@jbgye.org.ec
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chedraui
authors.forename: Emilio J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Solis
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bocci
authors.forename: Santhosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gopal
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Gustavo S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Escobar
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.forename: Faustino R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Pérez-López
authors.forename: Andrea R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Genazzani
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mannella
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Simoncini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C018524:N,N-dimethylarginine; D001120:Arginine