Transforming growth factor-ß1 does not relate to hypertension in pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a human disease of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure, proteinuria and end-organ damage, if severe. Pre-eclampsia is thought to be related to changes in early placental development, with the formation of a shallower than normal placental bed. 2. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 is a multifunctional fibrogenic growth factor involved in immune regulation that is elevated in some populations with a high risk of hypertensive end-organ disease related to increases in endothelin release. Transforming growth factor-β1 is also an important factor in placental implantation. Alterations in TGF-β1 may be related to abnormal placental development in early pregnancy and, thus, are a candidate for the development of hypertension in pre-eclampsia. 3. The aim of the present study was to examine the placental distribution and serum concentration of TGF-β1 in patients with pre-eclampsia compared with normal pregnancy. 4. Patients with pre-eclampsia (n = 12) were compared with patients with normal pregnancy (n = 14). Transforming growth factor-β1 was determined by TGF-β1 Max ELISA (Promega, Madsion, WI, USA) after serum dilution (1/150) and acid activation. Placental distribution was determined by immunostaining with TGF-β1 (Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; 20 ng/mL) and the villi and decidual trophoblast were scored for intensity and extent of staining. 5. Patients with pre-eclampsia had a mean gestational age of 36 weeks, whereas those with a normal pregnancy had a mean gestational age of 39.0 ± 0.4 weeks. There was no difference in TGF-β1 concentration between the two groups (mean (��SEM) 27.1 �� 1.0 vs 26.4 ± 0.7 pg/mL for normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia, respectively; P = 0.73, Mann–Whitney U -test). There was no correlation between systolic or diastolic blood pressure and TGF-β1 concentration (regression analysis P = 0.4 and 0.2).