[Study on the relationship between activin A, follistatin and preeclampsia]

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of maternal serum activin A, follistatin and their mRNA expression in placenta with preeclampsia at term.

Twenty women with preeclampsia were enrolled in this study. Twenty healthy pregnancies matched for gestational ages were recruited as control group. Maternal serum activin A and follistatin in two groups were compared by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Placental tissues were obtained from preeclampsia and healthy control groups for analysis of activin A mRNA and follistatin mRNA expression by using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Linear correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between placental avtivin A mRNA and maternal serum activin A concentrations.

(1) Maternal serum concentrations of activin A are significantly increased in preeclampsia group (33.7 +/- 6.6) micro g/L compared with control group (9.9 +/- 2.1) micro g/L (P < 0.01). Maternal serum follistatin levels were not different between preeclampsia group (5.1 +/- 0.6) micro g/L and control group (4.7 +/- 0.3) micro g/L (P > 0.05). (2) The placentas of preeclampsia group expressed activin A mRNA levels at significantly higher levels 1.11 +/- 0.21 than that of control group 0.61 +/- 0.17 (P < 0.01). The expression of follistatin mRNA were not different between preeclampsia group 0.57 +/- 0.31 and control group 0.54 +/- 0.27 (P > 0.05). (3) In preeclampsia and control groups, maternal serum activin A concentrations had a significant positive correlation with activin A mRNA expression in placentas (r = 0.89, P < 0.01).

These results suggest that activin A is increased in women with preeclampsia, the elevated levels of activin A due to increased placental production.