title: Elevated placental expression at the maternal-fetal interface but diminished maternal circulatory kisspeptin in preeclamptic pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the placental mRNA and protein expression of metastasis suppressor gene Kiss-1 and the transcript expression of its receptor GPR-54 across the maternal-fetal interface of healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies. To furthermore compare placental tissue kisspeptin expression to circulatory kisspeptin levels in these pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary and Tertiary Hospital Setting in Cape Town, South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with and without preeclampsia undergoing elective caesarean delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  The placenta, placental bed and decidua parietalis as well as maternal and cord blood in both healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies were simultaneously sampled at elective caesarean delivery. RT-PCR was utilised to determine mRNA expression while immunohistochemistry was employed to investigate protein expression in maternal-fetal tissues. Circulating maternal and cord serum kisspeptin concentrations were determined using ELISA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal-fetal tissue mRNA expression of Kiss-1 and GPR-54 as well as maternal/cord serum kisspeptin concentrations in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was high placental kisspeptin expression but low circulating serum kisspeptin levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Kiss-1 mRNA and protein expression was minimal in the maternal tissues (placental bed and decidua parietalis) of both healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies. No difference was found in Kiss-1 receptor (GPR-54) mRNA expression across maternal-fetal tissues of healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased placental kisspeptin expression is consistent with reduced trophoblast invasiveness and may represent a molecular mechanism that explains the development of preeclampsia. Decreased circulating kisspeptin concentration has the potential to be utilised as a marker for placental dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: MRC/UCT Receptor Biology Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, 7925, South Africa; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town 7937, South Africa. Electronic address: mushi.matjila@uct.ac.za.
authors.forename: Mushi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matjila
authors.affiliation: MRC/UCT Receptor Biology Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, 7925, South Africa; Mammalian Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, Scotland, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Millar
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town 7937, South Africa.
authors.forename: Zephne
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: van der Spuy
authors.affiliation: MRC/UCT Receptor Biology Unit, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Division of Medical Biochemistry, University of Cape Town, 7925, South Africa.
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002585:Cesarean Section; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D059648:Kisspeptins / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D000074502:Receptors, Kisspeptin-1; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C106628:KISS1 protein, human; C118688:KISS1R protein, human; D059648:Kisspeptins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000074502:Receptors, Kisspeptin-1