Angiopoietin-2: A Promising Indicator for the Occurrence of Severe Preeclampsia

• Published in: Hypertension in pregnancy Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 189 - 199
• Main Authors: Han, Soo Yeon, Jun, Jong Kwan, Lee, Cha-Hui, Park, Joong Shin, Syn, Hee Chul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa Healthcare 01.02.2012; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Angiogenic factors; Angiopoietin-1 - blood; Angiopoietin-2; Angiopoietin-2 - blood; Case-Control Studies; Female; Fetal Blood - metabolism; Humans; Placenta; Placenta - metabolism; Plasma; Pre-Eclampsia - blood; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-1955; 1525-6065
• DOI: 10.3109/10641955.2010.507844

Background. The known connection between placental hypoxia and the development of preeclampsia suggests that angiogenic factors in the placenta would be changed and affect the maternal and or umbilical cord plasma levels in patients with preeclampsia. Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the difference and correlation of placental mRNA expression and maternal umbilical cord plasma concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), angiopoietin-1, and angiopoietin-2 between women with severe preeclampsia and normal pregnancies. Methods. Sixteen patients with severe preeclampsia and 29 normotensive pregnant women were studied. The placental mRNA expression was assessed using real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Maternal umbilical cord plasma levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Nonparametric methods were applied for statistical analysis. Results. Placental mRNA expression of angiopoietin-2 was significantly increased in patients with severe preeclampsia (p < 0.001). The maternal plasma angiopoietin-2 protein level was also significantly increased in women with severe preeclampsia (p < 0.05) and showed a positive correlation with the placental mRNA expression of angiopoietin-2 (r = 0.54, p < 0.005). For VEGF-A and angiopoietin-1, there were no significant differences between the two groups. A maternal plasma angiopoietin-2 concentration of 8.4 ng mL had a sensitivity of 63% and a specificity of 83% for predicting severe preeclampsia. Conclusion. Placental angiopoietin-2 mRNA expression was increased and correlated with the maternal plasma angiopoietin-2 protein concentration in women with severe preeclampsia. This suggests that the plasma angiopoietin-2 protein level may be a candidate marker for severe preeclampsia.