title: Depleted mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood of women with a history of HELLP syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that a quantitative defect of maternal cellular mitochondria would play a role in the pathogenesis of HELLP syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) was measured in 20 non-pregnant women with a history of HELLP syndrome, 40 non-pregnant control subjects who had previous physiologic pregnancies, 59 subjects carrying physiologic pregnancies, seven pregnant women with a history of HELLP syndrome and five women in the active phase of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood Mt-DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median (interquartile range) mtDNA in women with a history of HELLP syndrome, in non-pregnant women who had previous physiologic pregnancies, in subjects carrying physiologic pregnancies, in pregnant women with a history of HELLP syndrome and in women in the active phase of the disease was 115 (81-194), 229 (199-319), 174 (136-211), 101 (82-178) and 92 (39-129) copies per nuclear DNA, respectively. Non-pregnant women with a history of HELLP syndrome had significantly lower levels than non-pregnant controls (p<0.001). Moreover, blood mtDNA was lower in pregnant women with a history of HELLP syndrome and in those in the active phase of the disease when compared to pregnant controls (p=0.002 and p=0.025, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Attenuated maternal mitochondrial function may favor HELLP syndrome development.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lattuada
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy; Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crovetto
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trespidi
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy; Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Sveva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Acaia
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: dadosomigliana@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Somigliana
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy; Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fedele
authors.affiliation: Dept. Obstet-Gynecol, Fondazione Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy; Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bolis
keywords: HELLP syndrome; Mitochondria; Pregnancy