TRAIL is a pleiotropic cytokine, showing important regulatory activities in the immune and cardiovascular systems. Among different tissues, TRAIL is expressed by placenta and can upregulated in trophoblast cells after cytokine stimulation. Since previous studies from our and other groups have demonstratedthat the serum levels of TRAIL are significantly decreased in patients affected by cardiovascular disease, we have carried out a case-control study aimed at evaluating the potential predictive role of first trimester TRAIL (12 weeks of gestational age) as a risk factor for hypertensive pregnancy disorders (HD: gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia) and diabetes (gestational or IDDM). For each case of HD and diabetes, three controls were randomly selected matched to cases for age parity (primiparous; multiparous) and pregestational BMI We found no significant differences between both groups of cases and controls in terms of circulating TRAIL values (pg/ml) (non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test as TRAIL values did not distribute normally: for HD p ¼ 0.76, for diabetes p ¼ 0.59). Finally, none of the correlations between TRAIL values and mean pulsatility index, mean resistance index, bilateral notch at 12 weeks gestation, 20 and 30 weeks gestation was significant. Thus, although TRAIL has different functions at the placenta level, including a placental protective role, we did not find any statistically significant difference in the levels of circulating TRAIL at 12 gestational weeks between HD or diabetic and control women, indicating that TRAIL may not be a good candidate as a biomarker to evaluate early-stage lesions associated to pre-eclampsia.
The early determination of circulating TRAIL levels does not predict the development of pre-eclampsia.
ZAULI, Giorgio;SECCHIERO, Paola
2012
Abstract
TRAIL is a pleiotropic cytokine, showing important regulatory activities in the immune and cardiovascular systems. Among different tissues, TRAIL is expressed by placenta and can upregulated in trophoblast cells after cytokine stimulation. Since previous studies from our and other groups have demonstratedthat the serum levels of TRAIL are significantly decreased in patients affected by cardiovascular disease, we have carried out a case-control study aimed at evaluating the potential predictive role of first trimester TRAIL (12 weeks of gestational age) as a risk factor for hypertensive pregnancy disorders (HD: gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia) and diabetes (gestational or IDDM). For each case of HD and diabetes, three controls were randomly selected matched to cases for age parity (primiparous; multiparous) and pregestational BMI We found no significant differences between both groups of cases and controls in terms of circulating TRAIL values (pg/ml) (non-parametric Mann–Whitney U test as TRAIL values did not distribute normally: for HD p ¼ 0.76, for diabetes p ¼ 0.59). Finally, none of the correlations between TRAIL values and mean pulsatility index, mean resistance index, bilateral notch at 12 weeks gestation, 20 and 30 weeks gestation was significant. Thus, although TRAIL has different functions at the placenta level, including a placental protective role, we did not find any statistically significant difference in the levels of circulating TRAIL at 12 gestational weeks between HD or diabetic and control women, indicating that TRAIL may not be a good candidate as a biomarker to evaluate early-stage lesions associated to pre-eclampsia.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
