title: HIF-1 Alpha and Placental Growth Factor in Pregnancies Complicated With Preeclampsia: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pathophysiology of preeclampsia is not clearly understood worldwide. Hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) is thought to be the preliminary factor for the hypoxic conditions prevailing in preeclampsia, which causes imbalance in the expression of angiogenic proteins. A proangiogenic protein, placental growth factor (PIGF), is reported to be dysregulated in preeclampsia. Therefore, this study focuses on the investigation of HIF-1α and PIGF in preeclamptic conditions and a possible molecular association between them.
  
  
  METHODS
  Placental tissue (n = 45 + 45) and serum samples (n = 80 + 80) of preeclamptic patients and healthy control were collected and processed for the analysis of HIF-1α and PIGF by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In preeclamptic group, the significant nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of HIF-1α was noticed in syncytiotrophoblast (P = 0.0001) but in control placenta, it was localized to cytoplasm (P = 0.0001). The intensity of PIGF expression was lower in syncytiotrophoblast cytoplasm (P = 0.0001) in preeclamptic cases as compared with control. Also, the significant upregulated concentration of HIF-1α and downregulated PIGF was observed in serum samples of preeclamptic woman (P = 0.0001). Thus, there was a significant direct negative correlation between HIF-1α and PIGF both at tissue and serum level (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The direct inverse association between HIF-1α and PIGF in serum and placental tissues may be responsible for the low oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction, leading to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Gayatri
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rath
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Poonam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jawanjal
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Aruna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Batra
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor
keywords: HIF-1α; PIGF; hypoxia; preeclampsia