Source: AIDS  |  Posted 9 years ago

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) does not appear to be involved in late gestation pre-eclampsia and hypertension.

Pre-eclampsia, a disease of late pregnancy, is characterized by high blood pressure, proteinuria and, in severe cases, end-organ damage. It may be related to the development of a shallow placental bed.

Transforming growth factor-beta1, a multifunctional fibrogenic growth factor, plays a role in placental implantation and is known to be elevated in some populations at risk of hypertensive end-organ disease. As such, it was suspected to be involved in the development of hypertension in pre-eclampsia, explain investigators.

The investigators, from the Department of Anatomical Pathology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia, examined the placental distribution and serum concentration of TGF-beta1 in 12 patients with pre-eclampsia and 14 healthy pregnancy controls.

Serum concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and placental distribution was determined by immunostaining.

Results showed no significant differences in TGF-beta1 concentrations between patients and controls. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were not correlated with TGF-beta1 concentrations.

There was no evidence of TGF-beta1 immunostaining in villous trophoblast cells or endovascular and extravillous trophoblast of term placentas in patients and controls.

These results suggest that TGF-beta1 is not involved in the development of late gestation pre-eclampsia and hypertension.