Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is considered to be a potentially fatal complication during pregnancy. However, no effective laboratory assessment has been developed to enable early diagnosis and monitoring of PE. The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed transthyretin (TTR) during severe PE and evaluate TTR as a possible biomarker of this disease. TTR levels were determined in the different gestational weeks of normal pregnancy (before 20 weeks, n=41; after 20 weeks, n=39) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). TTR concentrations in pregnant females with severe PE (n=43) were compared with those in healthy matched control subjects (n=37) using western blot analysis and ELISA. The median TTR concentration during severe PE in each month of gestation was significantly lower than the concentrations recorded during normal pregnancy. TTR levels in females with severe PE were significantly downregulated compared with the control subjects (P<0.001; area under the curve, 0.834–0.967). Thus, TTR may be used as a potential biomarker of PE.
Highlights
Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem syndrome affecting pregnant females
A total of 43 females with severe PE and 37 control subjects were enrolled in the present study
TTR expression levels were markedly decreased in the sera of patients with severe PE and were ~2.6 times lower compared with the control subjects (4,867±3,464 vs. 12,517±8,516 OD units in the severe PE and control subjects, respectively; P
Summary
Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem syndrome affecting pregnant females. PE usually develops after 20 weeks of gestation and affects 4‐10% of pregnant females. PE is characterized by several symptoms, including hypertension, proteinuria and additional complications such as liver and kidney failure and fetal distress. 25% of babies born to females with PE are smaller than normal for the particular gestational age. PE is a predominant cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide [1,2]. The exact determinants of PE remain unclear, placental ischemia is considered to
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