Angiogenic factor screening in women with mild preeclampsia - New and significant proteins in plasma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to analyse a panel of 60 angiogenic factors (pro-angiogenic and antiangiogenic) in the plasma of women with mild preeclampsia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 21 women between 25 and 40 weeks gestation with diagnosed mild preeclampsia into the study group and 27 healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies of corresponding gestational age to that of the study to the control group. We used a quantitative protein macroarray method that allowed for analysis of 60 angiogenic proteins per sample simultaneously. RESULTS: We showed a statistically significant increase in the concentration of 8 proteins, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin 6 (IL-6), leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF), heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (IP-10), leptin and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB), as well as a significant decrease in the concentration of 3 proteins, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), placental growth factor (PlGF) and follistatin, in the plasma of women with preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, it seems that protein factors may play an important role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, and there are many proteins that have not been studied in PE to date. There are no previous studies assessing the LIF, follistatin, HGF, HB-EGF and PDGF-BB concentrations in the plasma of women with PE; therefore, our obtained results indicate that these proteins are new factors that can play an important role in the pathomechanisms of PE.

Rupture of the cervix during pregnancy after cervical pessary insertion for preventing preterm birth.

We present a rare case of a complication after pessary insertion during pregnancy due to short cervix. A woman in the 35th week of gestation was admitted to the Department of Perinatology due to preterm labor. The patient's history revealed cervical pessary insertion during the 29th week of pregnancy due to a cervix of 18 mm in length. Because of threatened preterm labor, the pessary was removed. After pessary removal, a rupture of the cervix was diagnosed. Because of active labor and cervical rupture, a cesarean section was performed and a healthy newborn was delivered. After cesarean section the cervical rupture was sutured. Five days after the operation, the patient underwent surgery again due to a necrotically changed part of the cervix. This part of the cervix was removed. We present this case to emphasize that cervical pessaries can cause serious complications during pregnancy. Clinicians should take this into consideration before qualifying patients for pessary insertion.

[Identification of proteomic biomarkers of preeclampsia using protein microarray and tandem mass spectrometry]. / Mikromacierze bialkowe i tandemowa spektrometria mas w poszukiwaniu proteomicznych biomarkerów preeklampsji.

Preeclampsia (PE) is the leading cause of death of the fetus and the mother. The exact pathomechanism has not so far been clarified. PE coexists with many other diseases, but it is often difficult to explain the association between them and find a clear reason for their occurrence. There are many predictive factors, but none are highly specific in preeclampsia. The diagnosis of preeclampsia seems to be very complex, which is another argument for the exploration of knowledge on this subject. Although many of the discoveries have hitherto been made in the field of proteomics, still no single specific biomarker of preeclampsia has been discovered. Research at the genome level is important because it can help us understand the genetic predisposition of patients affected by this disease. Nevertheless, researchers have recently become more interested in the pathophysiology of PE, and they are trying to answer the question: what is the real, direct cause of preeclampsia? Thus, the discovery of a protein that is a good predictor of preeclampsia development would significantly accelerate the medical care of pregnant women, and consequently reduce the risk of occurrence of HELLP syndrome and fetal death. Apart from the predictive and diagnostic function, such a discovery would help us to better understand the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and to find in the future a medical drug to suppress this disease. In order to make a breakthrough in this field, scientists need to use the most modern methods of proteomics, which allow for the analysis of small amounts of biological material in the shortest possible time, thereby giving a lot of information about existing proteins in the sample. Such optimization allows two methods, most commonly used by researchers: tandem mass spectrometry and protein microarray technique.

Chemokines profiling of patients with preterm birth.

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays it is thought that the main cause of premature birth is subclinical infection. However, none of the currently used methods provide effective prevention to preterm labor. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of selected chemokines in sera of patients with premature birth without clinical signs of infection (n = 62), threatened preterm labor (n = 47), and term births (n = 28). METHOD: To assess the concentration of chemokines in the blood serum, we used a multiplex method, which allows the simultaneous determination of 40 chemokines per sample. The sets consist of the following chemokines: 6Ckine/CCL21, Axl, BTC, CCL28, CTACK/CCL27, CXCL16, ENA-78/CXCL5, Eotaxin-3/CCL26, GCP-2/CXC, GRO (GRO α /CXCL1, GRO ß /CXCL2 and GRO γ /CXCL3), HCC-1/CCL14, HCC-4/CCL16, IL-9, IL-17F, IL18-BPa, IL-28A, IL-29, IL-31, IP-10/CXCL10, I-TAC/CXCL11, LIF, LIGHT/TNFSF14, Lymphotactin/XCL1, MCP-2/CCL8, MCP-3/CCL7, MCP-4/CCL13, MDC/CCL22, MIF, MIP-3 α /CCL20, MIP-3- ß /CCL19, MPIF-1/CCL23, NAP-2/CXCL7, MSP α , OPN, PARC/CCL18, PF4, SDF-1/CXCL12, TARC/CCL17, TECK/CCL25, and TSLP. RESULTS: We showed possible implication of 4 chemokines, that is, HCC-4, I-TAC, MIP-3 α , and TARC in women with symptoms of preterm delivery. CONCLUSION: On the basis of our findings, it seems that the chemokines may play role in the pathogenesis of preterm labor. Defining their potential as biochemical markers of preterm birth requires further investigation on larger group of patients.

Thrombopoiesis in small for gestational age newborns.

Thrombocytopenia in small for gestational age (SGA) newborns may be due to placental vascular pathology, fetal consumptive coagulopathy and platelet destruction, local imbalance of thromboxane A2 causing placental vasoconstriction and platelet aggregation. Thrombopoiesis in SGA newborns is poorly recognized. In 61 SGA newborns we evaluated thrombocytopoiesis in relation to gender and the rate maturity expressed as <5th percentile and <10th percentile. Female newborns demonstrated higher thrombopoietin (TPO) level at 92.06 pg/ml than male newborns at 79.81 pg/ml. Newborns less developed <5th percentile, showed increased TPO level of 92.0 pg/ml in comparison to <10th percentile of 78.0 pg/ml. This observation is more pronounced in female newborns. Contrary to our expectations we did not find any statistically significant differences in the percentage of reticulated platelets (PLRET) and platelets count in relation to gender and <5th percentile or <10th percentile. We can postulate intrauterine hypoxia is responsible for the increase of erythropoietin and impairment of thrombopoiesis in SGA newborns.