Increased serum levels of high mobility group protein B1 and calprotectin in pre-eclampsia

To determine whether women with pre-eclampsia have serum levels of biomarkers indicative of an elevated systemic inflammatory response.

The present cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women either with pre-eclampsia or without pre-eclampsia who were recruited at a single Chinese hospital between August 1, 2016, and April 30, 2017. Eligible women had no history of acute or chronic inflammation. Serum concentrations of high mobility group protein B1 (HMG-1), calprotectin, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were measured and compared.

There were 55 patients included (25 with pre-eclampsia and 30 without). The mean serum concentration of calprotectin was 2656.76 ± 1724.56 μg/L in the pre-eclampsia group versus 1877.33 ± 905.69 μg/L in the control group (P=0.036). Among patients with pre-eclampsia, elevated calprotectin levels were positively associated with the duration of hypertension in pregnancy (P=0.031) and were negatively associated with pregnancy duration at delivery (P=0.035). The mean serum concentration of HMG-1 was 72.48 ± 27.57 μg/L in the pre-eclampsia group versus 57.57 ± 20.07 μg/L in the control group (P=0.017). The mean serum concentration of TLR4 was 22.83 ± 8.46 μg/L in the pre-eclampsia group versus 18.83 ± 6.79 μg/L in the control group (P=0.057).

Elevated levels of HMG-1 and calprotectin could reflect an excessive systemic inflammatory response in pre-eclampsia.