Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of maternal serum activin A, follistatin and their mRNA expression in placenta with preeclampsia at term.
Methods: Twenty women with preeclampsia were enrolled in this study. Twenty healthy pregnancies matched for gestational ages were recruited as control group. Maternal serum activin A and follistatin in two groups were compared by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Placental tissues were obtained from preeclampsia and healthy control groups for analysis of activin A mRNA and follistatin mRNA expression by using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Linear correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between placental avtivin A mRNA and maternal serum activin A concentrations.
Results: (1) Maternal serum concentrations of activin A are significantly increased in preeclampsia group (33.7 +/- 6.6) micro g/L compared with control group (9.9 +/- 2.1) micro g/L (P < 0.01). Maternal serum follistatin levels were not different between preeclampsia group (5.1 +/- 0.6) micro g/L and control group (4.7 +/- 0.3) micro g/L (P > 0.05). (2) The placentas of preeclampsia group expressed activin A mRNA levels at significantly higher levels 1.11 +/- 0.21 than that of control group 0.61 +/- 0.17 (P < 0.01). The expression of follistatin mRNA were not different between preeclampsia group 0.57 +/- 0.31 and control group 0.54 +/- 0.27 (P > 0.05). (3) In preeclampsia and control groups, maternal serum activin A concentrations had a significant positive correlation with activin A mRNA expression in placentas (r = 0.89, P < 0.01).
Conclusion: These results suggest that activin A is increased in women with preeclampsia, the elevated levels of activin A due to increased placental production.