Open AccessConcentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor C and D in amniotic fluid and maternal plasma
Author(s) -
WATHÉN KATJAANNELI,
STENMAN ULFHÅKAN,
LEIN ELINA,
ANDERSSON STURE,
VUORELA PIIA
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.1080/00016340902846098
Subject(s) - medicine , amniotic fluid , gestation , vascular endothelial growth factor , pregnancy , second trimester , gestational age , vascular endothelial growth factor c , endocrinology , andrology , vegf receptors , blood plasma , fetus , vascular endothelial growth factor a , biology , genetics
Objective . Vascular endothelial growth factor‐C (VEGF‐C) and VEGF‐D promote both endothelial and lymphatic vascularization during embryonic development. We studied their presence in amniotic fluid (AF) and maternal plasma during pregnancy. Design . Descriptive study. Setting . University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. Samples . AF at 14–20 weeks ( n = 20) and 38–41 weeks’ of gestation ( n = 20), serial plasma samples ( n = 38) from 16 healthy pregnant women during 8–40 weeks of pregnancy, and plasma from 15 non‐pregnant controls. Methods . Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Main outcome measures . Concentrations of VEGF‐C and ‐D in AF and maternal plasma. Results . VEGF‐C concentrations in AF decrease as pregnancy advances ( p = 0.002) and are about 10‐fold lower than in plasma at the corresponding gestational age ( p = 0.001). Plasma VEGF‐C concentrations are higher in the first trimester ( p = 0.014) and the early second trimester ( p = 0.016) than in non‐pregnant women. VEGF‐D is not detectable in AF, but in plasma its concentrations become higher at term compared with non‐pregnant women ( p = 0.039). Conclusions . VEGF‐C and ‐D are present in high concentrations in maternal plasma, while only VEGF‐C can be detected in AF.