[Expression and significance of AT1-AA and ET1 in materal peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood and placenta in preeclampsia].

Objective: To investigate the expression of autoantibodies to the angiotensin II type I receptor (AT1-AA) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in pregnant women's blood and explore their correlation with the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Methods: Ninety pregnant women who delivered from June 2011 to December 2011 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were chosen as the study objects. They were divided into mild preeclampsia group (n = 30), severe preeclampsia group (n = 30) and normal group (control group, n = 30). The levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in maternal peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood were detected by ELISA, and the mRNA expression levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in placenta tissues were determined by reverse transcription (RT) PCR. Moreover, the correlation clinical indexes were detected and analysed.

Results: (1) The levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in maternal peripheral blood of preeclampsia [mild group: (114 ± 19) ng/L and (31 ± 9) ng/L, severe group: (145 ± 15) ng/L and (38 ± 10) ng/L] were both significantly higher than that of control group [(59 ± 5) ng/L, (17 ± 4) ng/L]. In addition, compared with mild group, the levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in severe group were significantly higher (P < 0.05). (2) The levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in umbilical cord blood of preeclampsia [mild group: (105 ± 14) ng/L and (35 ± 6) ng/L, severe group: (118 ± 14) ng/L and (40 ± 5) ng/L] were significantly higher than that of control group [(61 ± 12) ng/L, (24 ± 5) ng/L]. In addition, compared with mild group, the levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in severe group were significantly higher (P < 0.05). (3) The mRNA expression levels of AT1-AA and ET1 in placenta tissues of mild group (0.313 ± 0.039, 0.296 ± 0.028) and severe group (0.568 ± 0.052, 0.577 ± 0.046) were significantly higher than that in control group (0.198 ± 0.017, 0.137 ± 0.012), and the levels in severe group were significantly higher than that in mild group (P < 0.05). (4) There was an evident positive correlation between AT1-AA and ET1 levels of preeclampsia women's peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood and placenta (P < 0.05). (5) The level of AT1-AA in umbilical cord blood of preeclampsia pregnant women was positively correlated with S/D value of umbilical artery (P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with the weight of the birth and the placental (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The AT1-AA in the blood of pregnant women plays an important role in promoting the generation and development of preeclampsia by increasing the ET1 secretion.