Abstract. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not the increased levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) could be used to demonstrate failed placentation in pre-eclamptic mothers. Twenty pregnant females with (pre-eclampsia group) or without pre-eclampsia (control group) were included in the present study. Antenatal and post-delivery HIF-1α transcription factor levels were measured. A significant increase was observed in the HIF-1α levels in the pre-and postnatal pre-eclampsia mothers. The findings suggest that the levels of HIF-1α in the blood of mothers with pre-eclampsia decrease after delivery of the placenta. The results confirm that there is increased HIF-1α in pre-eclampsia and a steady increase in the levels of HIF-1α could be commensurate with the possibility of a patient developing pre-eclampsia at a later trimester. IntroductionPre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder of variable severity displaying a characteristic presentation with well-defined diagnostic criteria in place solely based on physical signs, such as hypertension and proteinuria, although some aspects of its pathophysiology have yet to be ascertained and described. The placenta being placed at a strategic location successfully interfaces the maternal and foetal circulation during pregnancy and exits its location immediately after delivery when it has fulfilled its function. As a result of a physiological process termed 'pseudovasculogenesis', the spiral arterioles increase in diameter and reduce in musculature thus increasing the amount of blood supplied to the foetus, a process that is absent in pre-eclampsia.Pre-eclampsia has been a major cause of maternal and foetal mortality worldwide despite its predictable presentation. The need for a predictive marker for pre-eclampsia is understated but has been a subject for discussion throughout the scientific community. The search for a consistently expressed and easily measurable 'substance' that can act as a marker for pre-eclampsia is still underway and therefore defines the purpose of this study.Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor transiently expressed as a protein (1,2), also binding to hypoxia-response elements (HREs) in the promoters of several genes involved in the adaptation to an environment of hypoxia. Its consistent presence in hypoxic milieus renders it a notable candidate for pre-eclampsia-related research. Previous studies have demonstrated the presence of HIF-1α in pre-eclamptic placentas (1,2), but whether escalating levels of the protein parallel aberrant pseudovasculogenesis has yet to be evaluated. This study aimed to determine whether or not the increased levels of HIF-1α can be used to demonstrate failed placentation in pre-eclamptic mothers, thereby establishing its credibility as a blood marker for pre-eclampsia. Materials and methodsA case-control pilot study involving two groups of ten mothers with and without pre-eclampsia, respectively, was initiated by the authors from the International Medical University, Kuala ...
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