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Evaluation of serum apelin-13 and apelin-36 concentrations in preeclamptic pregnancies
Beril Gürlek1, Adnan Yılmaz2, Murtaza E Durakoğlugil3
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Turkey.
Insights
Maternal serum concentrations of apelin-13 and apelin-36 are significantly lower in women with preeclampsia. These findings suggest apelin peptides may serve as potential biomarkers for preeclampsia diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Biochemistry
- Obstetrics
Background:
- Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication.
- Apelin peptides have emerged as potential therapeutic mediators for preeclampsia.
- Investigating apelin's role in preeclampsia is crucial for improving diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between serum apelin-13 and apelin-36 levels and preeclampsia.
- To determine the relationship between these apelin peptides and preeclampsia-associated perinatal morbidity.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 44 women with preeclampsia and 44 healthy pregnant women.
- Serum concentrations of apelin-13 and apelin-36 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
- Clinical findings, biochemical indicators, and maternal/perinatal outcomes were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Serum concentrations of apelin-13 and apelin-36 were significantly lower in women with preeclampsia compared to controls.
- Apelin-13 and apelin-36 showed moderate success in differentiating preeclampsia from healthy pregnancies.
- No significant difference in apelin levels was observed concerning adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Maternal serum concentrations of apelin-13 and apelin-36 are markedly lower in preeclamptic patients.
- These findings support the potential of apelin peptides as biomarkers for preeclampsia.
- Further research is warranted to explore apelin's therapeutic potential in preeclampsia.
Aim:
Recent studies suggest that apelin can be a novel potential therapeutic mediator to improve the diagnosis, and treatment of preeclampsia. This study aimed to investigate the association of serum apelin-13 and apelin-36 with preeclampsia and to detect their relationship with preeclampsia-associated perinatal morbidity.
Methods:
Forty-four women with preeclampsia were included as the study group. Forty-four healthy pregnant women, at similar gestational week with similar gravidity, formed the control group. The clinical findings, biochemical indicators, maternal and perinatal outcomes, and the serum concentrations of apelin-36 and apelin-13 were evaluated. The levels of apelin-13 and apelin-36 were determined with commercial kits using a competition-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.
Results:
The mean gestational age at sampling was 35.77 ± 2.515 weeks in the preeclamptic group, 36.45 ± 2.057 weeks in the control group (P = 0.270). Maternal serum apelin-36 and apelin-13 concentrations were significantly lower in patients with preeclampsia compared to the individuals in the control group (P = 0.030 and P = 0.005, respectively). The optimal cut-off points of apelin-36 and apelin-13 measurements for discriminating between preeclampsia and controls were evaluated by the receiver-operator curve analysis. The results showed that apelin-13 and apelin-36 are moderately successful markers to differentiate subjects with preeclampsia from healthy pregnant women. The concentrations of apelin-13 and apelin-36 in both groups were not statistically different in cases with and without adverse fetal/neonatal outcomes.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, we investigated serum apelin-13 and apelin-36 concentrations in preeclamptic patients and demonstrated markedly lower maternal concentrations compared to healthy pregnant women.
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