Early pregnancy biomarker discovery study for spontaneous preterm birth

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Immunology
• Obstetrics

Background:

• Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality.
• Early identification of sPTB risk enables timely intervention and intensive monitoring of high-risk pregnancies.
• Current diagnostic methods lack sufficient predictive power for sPTB in early pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discover novel candidate biomarkers for spontaneous preterm birth in early pregnancy serum samples.
• To identify proteins differentially expressed in pregnancies complicated by extreme or very preterm birth.
• To establish a foundation for early detection and management of sPTB.

Main Methods:

• Serum samples from eight cases of spontaneous preterm birth (<32 weeks) and eight controls were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
• Thirteen differentially expressed proteins identified by LC-MS were selected for validation.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to confirm the differential expression of candidate biomarkers.

Main Results:

• Differential expression of four candidate biomarkers was confirmed by ELISA.
• Decreased serum levels of gelsolin and fibulin-1 were observed in the preterm birth group.
• Increased serum levels of c-reactive protein and complement C5 were found in the preterm birth group.

Conclusions:

• Gelsolin, fibulin-1, c-reactive protein, and complement C5 are confirmed as candidate biomarkers for spontaneous preterm birth.
• These biomarkers are associated with inflammatory pathways and the complement system, suggesting their role in sPTB pathogenesis.
• Further validation in larger cohorts is warranted to assess the predictive value of these biomarkers for sPTB.