Serum Laminin Levels in Normal Pregnancy and Preeclampsia

Abstract

Laminin is a large noncollagenous glycoprotein localized in the trophoblast and glomerular basement membrane. We measured laminin levels in maternal serum, umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid, both from preeclamptic and normal pregnant women, by enzyme immunoassay. The serum laminin levels in the preeclamptic group were significantly (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01) higher than those in the normal pregnant group. It has been suggested that laminin plays an important role in implantation of the placenta during early pregnancy. In this study, the amniotic-fluid laminin level at term was found to be lower than maternal serum laminin. We postulate that laminin may not have an important role in the maintenance of late pregnancy. There was a significant positive correlation between maternal serum laminin levels and serum uric acid levels. There was no significant correlation between maternal serum laminin level and blood pressure, urinary protein concentration, or any other laboratory data. These results suggest that there is damage of glomerular and placental spiral arteries in preeclampsia.

Maternal Plasma Endothelin Levels and Fetal Status in Normal and Preeclamptic Pregnancies

“…There was no significant cor relation between ET and PRA and/or PAC consistent with our previous report [4], PRA and PAC did not have any significant correlation with fetal status and maternal clinical data. Further studies are necessary to confirm the interrelationship among ET, PRA and aldosterone.…”

“…The umbilical venous plasma ET in preeclampsia was significantly higher than that o f normal pregnancy [4], Some authors have suggested that birth stress, especially asphyxia, might contribute to the increase in umbilical venous ET levels and there is no significant difference between preterm and full-term infants [12]. Hashiguchi et al [ 13] have suggested that ET levels in the umbilical cord plasma from subjects with umbilical venous blood pH levels below 7.30 are significantly higher than those with pH levels above 7.30.…”

“…In our previous report [4], we have suggested that there are many patho physiological features o f preeclampsia that can be ex plained by the alternation in ET synthesis and secretion. Recently, Kraayenbrink et al [ 11 ] reported that markedly increased ET levels in severe preeclampsia did not pre cede the clinical development o f preeclampsia, and it might be either the cause or just a consequence o f exten sive endothelial damage.…”

“…The extracts were dissolved in 250 gl of 0.02 M phosphate buffer and measured by the sandwich-enzyme immunoassay for endothelin-l( 1-21 ) as described previously [4], Rabbit antibodies against endothelin-1(15-21) Fab' were conjugated with horseradish peroxi dase and used as enzyme-labeled antibodies. In the enyzme immu noassay, AwETN-40-coated microtest plates were incubated at 4°C for 1 day with 100 pi of standard endothelin-1 ( 1 -21 ) ( 1.6-1.000 pg/ ml) or samples to be tested.…”

“…PRA was measured, according to the procedure we have pre viously reported [4,10], by radioimmunoassay if generated angiotensin-I by incubation of plasma at 37°C and pH 5.5 for 6 h with EDTA and diiso-propylfluorophosphate. PAC was measured using a com mercial kit (Dainabot, Tokyo, Japan).…”