Background<\/p>\n
Pre-eclampsia affects 2–7% of all pregnant women and is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The etiology of pre-eclampsia is still unknown but it is well documented that impaired placentation is a major contributor to its development. One of the placenta-specific proteins is placental protein 13 (PP13). Lower first trimester levels of maternal serum PP13 and its encoding placental mRNA are associated with the development of both early and late-onset severe pre-eclampsia. In cases where this protein is mutated, the frequency of pre-eclampsia is higher. <\/p>\n
Methods<\/p>\n
19 out of 68 studies on PP13, published between January 2006 and September 2012, were used to evaluate the value of maternal blood PP13 as a marker of pre-eclampsia.<\/p>\n
Results<\/p>\n
A meta-analysis presented in this review shows that low serum levels of PP13 in the first trimester of pregnancy can predict the development of pre-eclampsia later in pregnancy. Although some functions of this protein have been assessed in in vitro<\/I> experiments, the in vivo<\/I> functions of PP13 are still unknown, especially when circulating in the maternal bloodstream. A recent pilot study has shown that in gravid rats PP13 causes significant vasodilatation, reduced blood pressure and increased maternal uterine artery remodeling.<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
Reviewing these effects of PP13, the authors propose the use of PP13 as a new drug candidate. Replenishing PP13 in those women with low serum levels early in pregnancy may help prepare their vasculature for pregnancy. This novel pharmacological approach to combat pre-eclampsia is presented as a new direction to transfer from individualized risk to personalized prevention.<\/p>\n
Source: Background Pre-eclampsia affects 2–7% of all pregnant women and is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The etiology of pre-eclampsia is still unknown but it is well documented that impaired placentation is a major contributor to … Continue reading
http:\/\/humupd.oxfordjournals.org\/cgi\/content\/short\/19\/4\/391?rss=1<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"