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Published on: August 2, 2017
Changes in the maternal serum concentration of proearly placenta insulin-like growth factor peptides in normal vs
Luca Bruni1, Stefano Luisi, Caterina Ferretti
1Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Reproductive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
Insights
Maternal serum pro-early placenta insulin like (proEPIL) levels rise in the third trimester of normal pregnancy. Elevated proEPIL indicates pathologic conditions like preeclampsia and preterm labor.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology and endocrinology
- Biomarker discovery in pregnancy
- Maternal-fetal medicine
Background:
- Pro-early placenta insulin like (proEPIL) is a novel peptide with potential roles in pregnancy.
- Accurate assessment of pregnancy status and complications is crucial for maternal and fetal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate maternal serum proEPIL levels during normal and complicated pregnancies.
- To validate a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for proEPIL detection.
Main Methods:
- Development of a monoclonal antibody (EPIL15) based ELISA for proEPIL measurement.
- Longitudinal measurement of serum proEPIL in healthy pregnant women (n=22) at 8-12, 20-24, and 30-34 weeks gestation.
- Measurement of serum proEPIL in women with preterm labor (n=24), intrauterine growth restriction (n=27), and preeclampsia (n=12).
Main Results:
- Serum proEPIL levels significantly increased in healthy pregnancies during the third trimester (30-34 weeks).
- Elevated proEPIL levels were observed in pregnancies complicated by intrauterine growth restriction, preeclampsia, and preterm labor compared to healthy controls.
- The developed ELISA demonstrated sensitivity in detecting these changes.
Conclusions:
- Maternal serum proEPIL secretion increases in the third trimester of normal pregnancy.
- Significantly higher proEPIL levels are associated with pathologic pregnancy conditions.
- ProEPIL may serve as a potential biomarker for pregnancy complications.
Objective:
The objective of the study was to evaluate maternal serum pro-early placenta insulin like (proEPIL) levels during normal and pathologic pregnancy by using a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, based on a monoclonal antibody designated EPIL15 and directed to the pro-EPIL C-chain 98-108 region.
Study Design:
In a group of healthy pregnant women (n = 22), proEPIL peptide serum levels were measured longitudinally throughout gestation (8-12, 20-24, and 30-34 weeks). Serum proEPIL levels were measured in women with preterm labor (n = 24), intrauterine growth restriction (n = 27), and preeclampsia (n = 12).
Results:
In healthy pregnant women, a significant rise of serum pro-EPIL levels (mean +/- SEM) was observed during the third trimester of gestation (30.97 +/- 2.978 ng/mL; P < .01), with the highest serum levels at 30-34 weeks' gestation (P < .001). Serum proEPIL levels were found elevated in women with intrauterine growth restriction (107.4 +/- 12.99 ng/mL), preeclampsia (104.8 +/- 36.20 ng/mL), or preterm labor (183.8 +/- 36.42 ng/mL) in comparison with levels observed in healthy pregnant women (P < .001).
Conclusion:
These results showed that proEPIL secretion increases in the last trimester during normal pregnancy and is highly secreted in women with pathologic conditions.
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