Diagnostic evaluation of cell free DNA and pentraxin 3 as biomarkers in preeclampsia

Abstract

Diagnostic evaluation of cell free DNA and pentraxin 3 as biomarkers in preeclampsia. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University. Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the foremost complications of pregnancy and a major cause of maternal and fetal mortality. It poses a major public health problem affecting approximately 5– 10% of human pregnancies. PE is a multi-factorial and multisystem disorder of pregnancy, which is clinically associated with maternal symptoms of hypertension, proteinuria and glomeruloendotheliosis. It can be fatal in many cases and is a cause of morbidity and mortality of mother, fetus and newborn. The present study aimed to investigate the significance of cell free DNA (cfDNA) and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) as non-invasive biomarkers in early diagnosis of preeclampsia. In the present study the circulating cell-free DNA was measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in plasma samples obtained from 50 preeclamptic and 25 normotensive pregnant women. Clinical parameters (systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and maternal age), biochemical parameters (serum total protein (TP), albumin (ALB) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)), C-reactive protein (CRP) and PTX3 levels were also determined. cfDNA, PTX3, CRP and BUN levels were significantly elevated while TP and ALB levels were significantly decreased in Abstract xiii preeclamptic women. Plasma cfDNA did not correlate with serum PTX3 level. As well there was no correlation between cfDNA or PTX3 with the clinical and biochemical parameters in preeclamptic patients. In addition, there was a significant negative correlation between TP/DBP, ALB/age and TP/BUN, while significant positive correlation was observed between TP/ALB and BUN/SBP. These results suggest no relation between cfDNA / PTX3 in preeclamptic patients indicating that cfDNA and PTX3 can be used as independent useful biomarkers in early diagnosis of preeclampsia. Key Words: Preeclampsia (PE); Pentraxin 3 (PTX3); cell free DNA (cfDNA); C-reactive protein (CRP), early d