Open AccessHIF‐1 Alpha and Placental Growth Factor in Pregnancies Complicated With Preeclampsia: A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
Author(s) -
Rath Gayatri,
Aggarwal Ruby,
Jawanjal Poonam,
Tripathi Richa,
Batra Aruna
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of clinical laboratory analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1098-2825
pISSN - 0887-8013
DOI - 10.1002/jcla.21819
Subject(s) - syncytiotrophoblast , placental growth factor , preeclampsia , placenta , pathogenesis , andrology , immunohistochemistry , medicine , endocrinology , oxidative stress , pregnancy , biology , fetus , genetics
Background The pathophysiology of preeclampsia is not clearly understood worldwide. Hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α) is thought to be the preliminary factor for the hypoxic conditions prevailing in preeclampsia, which causes imbalance in the expression of angiogenic proteins. A proangiogenic protein, placental growth factor (PIGF), is reported to be dysregulated in preeclampsia. Therefore, this study focuses on the investigation of HIF‐1α and PIGF in preeclamptic conditions and a possible molecular association between them. Methods Placental tissue ( n = 45 + 45) and serum samples ( n = 80 + 80) of preeclamptic patients and healthy control were collected and processed for the analysis of HIF‐1α and PIGF by immunohistochemistry and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results In preeclamptic group, the significant nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of HIF‐1α was noticed in syncytiotrophoblast ( P = 0.0001) but in control placenta, it was localized to cytoplasm ( P = 0.0001). The intensity of PIGF expression was lower in syncytiotrophoblast cytoplasm ( P = 0.0001) in preeclamptic cases as compared with control. Also, the significant upregulated concentration of HIF‐1α and downregulated PIGF was observed in serum samples of preeclamptic woman ( P = 0.0001). Thus, there was a significant direct negative correlation between HIF‐1α and PIGF both at tissue and serum level ( P < 0.01). Conclusion The direct inverse association between HIF‐1α and PIGF in serum and placental tissues may be responsible for the low oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction, leading to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.