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Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in peripheral blood cells of preeclamptic women
Piia Vuorela1, Susanna Lintula, Ulf-Håkan Stenman
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Biomedicum, Helsinki, Finland.
Insights
Preeclampsia does not alter vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in maternal blood cells. Healthy pregnancy increases VEGF in mononuclear cells, but preeclampsia does not further impact these levels.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Immunology
Background:
- Preeclampsia is linked to platelet and endothelial dysfunction.
- Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is present in leukocytes and released by activated platelets.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) content in peripheral blood cells of women with preeclampsia.
- To compare VEGF levels in platelets, mononuclear cells, and granulocytes between preeclamptic, healthy pregnant, and nonpregnant women.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of VEGF content in platelets, mononuclear white blood cells, and granulocytes from 12 preeclamptic, 19 healthy pregnant, and 20 nonpregnant women.
- Quantification of released protein from lysed cells using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).
Main Results:
- Platelet and granulocyte VEGF content was similar across all three groups (preeclamptic, healthy pregnant, nonpregnant).
- Mononuclear cell VEGF content was significantly higher in healthy pregnant women compared to nonpregnant women (P < 0.05).
- Mononuclear cell VEGF content in preeclamptic women showed a trend towards being higher than in nonpregnant women (P ≈ 0.07).
Conclusions:
- Uncomplicated pregnancy is associated with elevated VEGF content in mononuclear cells.
- Preeclampsia does not appear to significantly alter the VEGF content of maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells, granulocytes, or platelets.
Objective:
Preeclampsia is associated with platelet and endothelial dysfunction. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is found in peripheral blood leukocytes and released from platelets on activation. We analyzed the content of (VEGF) in peripheral blood cells of preeclamptic women.
Methods:
The VEGF content of platelets, mononuclear white blood cells, and granulocytes of peripheral blood were analyzed from 12 women with preeclampsia, 19 healthy pregnant women, and 20 nonpregnant women. Protein released from lysed cells was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).
Results:
Platelet VEGF content of preeclamptic women (0.081 ng/109 cells, 0.016 to 2.7 ng/109 cells; median, range) was similar to that of healthy pregnant women (0.31 ng/109 cells, 0.013 to 0.92 ng/109 cells) and that of nonpregnant (0.073 ng/109 cells, 0.012 to 0.76 ng/109 cells) women. Likewise, the VEGF content of granulocytes was similar in preeclamptic (18.5 ng/109 cells, 1.2 to 193 ng/109 cells), healthy pregnant (25.3 ng/109 cells, 0.8 to 441 ng/109 cells), and nonpregnant (29 ng/109 cells, 0.25 to 200 ng/109 cells) women. In mononuclear cells, the VEGF content of healthy pregnant women was higher (4.4 ng/109 cells, 0.13 to 13.7 ng/109 cells) than in nonpregnant women (1.7 ng/109 cells, 0.15 to 11.4 ng/109 cells, P < 0.05). Also, the mononuclear cell VEGF content of preeclamptic women (8.2 ng/109 cells, 0.04 to 23 ng/109 cells) tended to be higher than in nonpregnant women (P approximately 0.07).
Conclusion:
Uncomplicated pregnancy is associated with an elevated VEGF content of mononuclear cells. Preeclampsia does not seem to affect the VEGF content of maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells, granulocytes, or platelets.
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