Quantity of total cell free and cell free fetal DNA in pregnancies with no complications and with preeclampsia

Abstract

Several researches focused on the factors which could influence the quantity of cell free DNA in case of normal and pathological pregnancies. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quantity of total cell free and cell free fetal DNA in case of normal pregnancies and preeclampsia. Plasma samples were obtained from 67 preeclamptic and 70 normotensive pregnant women. The quantity of total cell free DNA and cell free fetal DNA was measured using real-time polymerase chain reaction. We confirmed that circulating total free and fetal DNA levels are significantly elevated in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (median: 0.0114 vs. 0.0325 and 0.001E-3 vs. 0.086E-3 ng/microl; P < 0.001). The quantity of total plasma-free DNA did not correlate with the body mass index. The releases of both free fetal and maternal DNA were found to be affected in preeclampsia. Hepatocellular necrosis seems to be responsible - at least partly - for increased circulating total DNA levels in preeclampsia, and the abnormal trophoblast invasion could be responsible for increased trophoblast destruction and elevation of cell free fetal DNA level.