title: PP040. Expression of RANTES (CCL5) in maternal plasma, fetal plasma and placenta in pre-eclampsia and normotensive controls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies have shown pre-eclampsia (PE) as an exacerbation of gestational inflammatory process. RANTES (Regulated upon Activation, Normal T-cell Expressed, and Secreted)/CCL5 is a chemokine, which is involved in chronic inflammation by the recruitment of inflammatory cells. It is secreted by many cell types such as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, macrophages, platelets and activated T-cells. Thus we hypothesized that RANTES expression is altered in PE and may be different in gestational tissues (maternal plasma, fetal plasma and placenta).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study is to analyze the expression of RANTES (CCL5) in three different tissues: maternal plasma, fetal plasma and placenta, in PE and normotensive controls (NC).
  
  
  METHODS
  PE was diagnosed by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Working Group Report on High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy guidelines. The patients were assisted in the São Lucas Hospital from PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Following ethical approval and informed written consent, maternal and umbilical plasma and placental biopsies were taken from 33 PE and 35 NC. Samples were centrifuged immediately after blood collection and plasma was stored at -80°C until assay. Placental Biopsies were taken midway between the cord and periphery, from the central region of cotyledons and were stored as well. RANTES expression was made by the ELISA test, in duplicates. They were also analyzed in each group: maternal age, maternal parity, gestational age on delivery, glucose, body mass index, proteinúria creatinuria ratio, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), delivery method, birth weight, placental weight and Apgar index in 1st and 5th minute.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal age at the time of blood collection was not significantly different between the two groups. The women with preeclampsia delivered earlier and had smaller babies compared with the controls. Significant associations between groups (p<0.001) were seen in SBP, DBP, birth weight and delivery method. RANTES was increased in maternal plasma and placenta in patients with PE and decreased in fetus plasma in the same group (p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we have shown that RANTES expression in maternal plasma and placenta tissues, in women with established pre-eclampsia, is higher than in gestation-matched women with a healthy pregnancy. It confirms the hypotheses that physiology of PE is associated with an increase of normal gestational inflammatory process. However in fetus tissue, the inflammatory chemokine is decreased in PE women.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília - DF 70040-020, Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hentschke
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krauspenhar
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guwzinski
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Caruso
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Antonello
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gadonski
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Poli-de-Figueiredo
authors.affiliation: Nephrology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: B E Pinheiro
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: da Costa