title: Maternal circulating levels of transforming growth factor-β superfamily and its soluble receptors in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess circulating levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily members and their soluble receptors in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and to investigate associations with clinical manifestations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted using data for women admitted to a center in China for delivery between May 2011 and April 2013. Women with severe pre-eclampsia, mild pre-eclampsia, and gestational hypertension were included, along with a control group. Serum levels of activin A, inhibin A, TGF-β1, soluble endoglin (sEng), and soluble betaglycan (sBG) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with severe pre-eclampsia (n = 17) had higher mean levels of activin A (23.5±2.1 μg/L), inhibin A (1.7±0.2 μg/L), sEng (32.1±3.2 μg/L), and sBG (84.1±9.4 μg/L) than did normotensive controls (n = 18), women with gestational hypertension (n = 15), and those with mild pre-eclampsia (n = 14; all P<0.05). Women with early-onset pre-eclampsia (n = 13) had higher levels of these serum markers than did preterm normotensive controls (n = 8; all P<0.001). Women with severe or early-onset pre-eclampsia had the lowest TGF-β1 levels. Activin A, inhibin A, sEng, and sBG levels were positively correlated with mean arterial pressure and proteinuria (all P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pre-eclampsia is associated with an imbalance of members of the TGF-β superfamily and their soluble receptors, which might contribute to the development of pre-eclampsia and help to predict onset and severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Min-Hong
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ai-Ying
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Center for Human Reproduction and Genetics, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D000071063:Endoglin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000097:blood*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000097:blood; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000071063:Endoglin; D011509:Proteoglycans; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C422405:activin A; C422362:inhibin A; D028341:Activins; C071736:betaglycan; D007265:Inhibins
keywords: Activin A; Inhibin A; Pre-eclampsia; Soluble betaglycan; Soluble endoglin; Transforming growth factor-β1