Maternal imbalance between pro-angiogenic and anti-angiogenic factors in HIV-infected women with pre-eclampsia.
Angiogenic imbalance contributes to the development of preeclampsia. We evaluated the protein expression of the proangiogenic placental growth factor (PlGF) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) compared with the anti-angiogenic soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor (sFlt1) and soluble endoglin (sEng) in HIV-infected normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. Blood was obtained from 110 pregnant women, enrolled in four groups, namely, HIV-negative normotensives (27); HIV-positive normotensives (31); HIV-negative pre-eclamptics (27) and HIV-positive pre-eclamptics (25), and was used to measure PlGF, TGF-β₁, sFlt1 and sEng levels. Increased sFlt1 and sEng levels were associated with the pre-eclamptics (HIV negative and positive) compared with their counterparts. Decreased PlGF levels were observed between the HIV-negative pre-eclamptics versus HIV-negative normotensives, but levels differed significantly (p = 0.02) among the normotensives (HIV negative and positive). TGF-β₁ remained unchanged across all groups. Higher sEng/TGF-β₁ ratios were associated with the pre-eclamptics (HIV negative and positive) compared with their counterparts. This study demonstrated increased sFlt1 and sEng levels in pre-eclamptic compared with normotensive pregnancies, irrespective of the HIV status.
Optics and Imaging Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Nalini
N
Govender
Thajasvarie
T
Naicker
Jagidesa
J
Moodley
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D000071063:Endoglin; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; C064206:ENG protein, human; D000071063:Endoglin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C098069:PIGF protein, human; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C501162:FLT1 protein, human; D040281:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1