65-OR

Abstract

Objectives To investigate total bile acid (TBA) levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood in normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies in the context of ABCG2 placental gene expression levels, a recently reported placental bile acid transporter. Methods TBA levels were determined in 83 paired maternal blood (MB) and umbilical cord blood (UCB) samples of normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies and in 22 paired arterial and venous umbilical cord blood samples from uncomplicated term pregnancies. ABCG2 gene expression was measured in 104 human placentas by reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Both in normotensive and in preeclamptic pregnancies, TBA levels in the maternal compartment are higher than in the fetal compartment. This effect is more pronounced in preeclamptic pregnancies ( p = 0.007 and p p = 0.016). TBA levels in arterial and venous UCB from 22 normotensive pregnancies are not statistically different. ABCG2 expression is reduced in pregnancies where preeclampsia is further complicated by Hemolysis Elevated Liver Enzymes and Low Platelets syndrome ( p = 0.033). ABCG2 expression in human placenta is not correlated with maternal or umbilical cord TBA levels. Conclusions Increased maternal TBA levels in preeclamptic pregnancies indicate a relation between bile acids in the maternal circulation and preeclampsia. The fact that TBA levels in the fetal compartment do not differ between normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies combined with the fact that arterial and venous umbilical cord blood TBA levels are comparable suggests that the placenta functions as a bile acid barrier. Disclosures J.M. Jebbink: None. G.J. Veenboer: None. S. Boussata: None. A.E. Kremer: None. R.P. Oude-Elferink: None. J.A. van der Post: None. G.B. Afink: None. C. Ris-Stalpers: None.