title: Plasma PP13 and urinary GAGs/PGs as early markers of pre-eclampsia.
abstract: To evaluate at 11-13 weeks' gestation biochemical markers that may predict complications of pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia, proteinuria, and hypertension.
  
  
  
  Analyses were performed on first-morning urine and plasma samples from first trimester pregnant women with increased risk of developing pre-eclampsia such as positive personal or family history of cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. A total of 62 women were enrolled, 24 of them presented complications such as pre-eclampsia, proteinuria, and hypertension during pregnancy. The remaining 38 women had a physiological course of pregnancy and formed the reference group. Urine glycosaminoglycans/proteoglycans (GAGs/PGs) distribution was determined by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate strips. Urinary N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase was estimated kinetically. Plasma levels of placental protein 13 (PP13) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  
  No significant differences in total GAG excretion and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase (NAG) concentration were observed between the two groups of pregnant women, whereas we detected increased relative content of total urinary trypsin inhibitor (UTI plus low-sulfated chondroitin sulfate) (p = 0.001) and reduced excretion of heparan sulfate (p = 0.007) and chondroitin sulfate (p = 0.011) in women presenting with pregnancy complications respect to controls. Plasma levels of PP13 were significantly reduced in the group of women who went on to develop complications compared with controls (p = 0.022).
  
  
  
  The reduced plasma levels of PP13 and the alteration of the relative content of urinary GAGs and PGs observed in our study could be a promising tool for the prediction of pre-eclampsia in an early stage of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Muro
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic and Obstetric Clinic, Department of Surgical, Microsurgical and Medical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 12, 07100, Sassari, Italy. capobia@uniss.it.
authors.forename: Giampiero
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capobianco
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio Junior
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Lepedda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nieddu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Formato
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Nguyen Hai Quy
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Tram
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Idini
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic and Obstetric Clinic, Department of Surgical, Microsurgical and Medical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 12, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dessole
authors.affiliation: Gynecologic and Obstetric Clinic, Department of Surgical, Microsurgical and Medical Sciences, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 12, 07100, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dessole
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D037161:Galectins / Q000652:urine*; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000652:urine*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000652:urine*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D037161:Galectins; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; C038195:LGALS13 protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011509:Proteoglycans
keywords: Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs); Placental protein 13 (PP13); Pre-eclampsia; Proteoglycans (PGs)