Role of basic fibroblast growth factor in human immunodeficiency virus associated pre-eclampsia

Cell signaling is vital to ensure successful trophoblast invasion. This study assessed the level of serum basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated pre-eclampsia (PE).

Using a Bio-plex Multiplex Immunoassay, FGF-2 (pg/mL) was analyzed in blood sera collected from 80 pregnant women attending a large regional hospital in Durban, South Africa. Study groups consisted of normotensive and pre-eclamptic pregnant women stratified according to their HIV status. Data analysis was performed using graphpad prism statistics software, version 5.00.

In this study, we report a significant decrease of FGF-2 serum level in pre-eclamptic compared to normotensive pregnant women groups (25.38 ± 6.69 pg/mL vs 61.79 ± 11.25 pg/mL), irrespective of their HIV status. Similarly, there was a significant decrease in FGF-2 serum level in HIV positive compared to HIV negative group (33.80 ± 9.62 pg/mL vs 52.15 ± 9.49 pg/mL), irrespective of their pregnancy type.

This study demonstrates a downregulation of serum FGF-2 expression in pre-eclamptic compared to normotensive pregnant women. This decline may be responsible for the defective trophoblast invasion and/or to PE severity. The decline in FGF-2 expression in HIV infection is probably due to the effect of HIV Tat protein on angiogenesis.