E-ISSN: 1309-0380
    Low VEGF expression in conceptus material and maternal serum AFP and ß-hCG levels as indicators of defective angiogenesis in first-trimester miscarriages
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    Original Investigation
    VOLUME: 13 ISSUE: 2
    P: 111-117
    June 2012

    Low VEGF expression in conceptus material and maternal serum AFP and ß-hCG levels as indicators of defective angiogenesis in first-trimester miscarriages

    J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2012;13(2):111-117
    DOI: 10.5152/jtgga.2012.06
    Gülşen Kutluer 1
    Nedim Mahmut Çiçek 1
    Özlem Moraloğlu 2
    Pervin Ertargın 1
    Esma Sarıkaya 3
    İshak Artar 4
    Özlem Erdem 5
    1. Department Of Perinatology And Family Planning, Zekai Tahir Burak Women’S Health Resource And Education Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
    2. Department Of Pathology, Faculty Of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
    3. Department Of Reproductive Endocrinology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women’S Health Education And Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey; Department Of Obstetrics And Gynecology, Yildirim Beyazit University Faculty Of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
    4. Department Of Obstetrics And Gynecology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women’S Health Education And Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
    5. Water Birth Unit, Zekai Tahir Burak Women’S Health Education And Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey
    No information available.
    No information available
    Received Date: 20.10.2011
    Accepted Date: 18.12.2011
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    ABSTRACT

    Objective:

    The aims of this study were to assess the relationship between early miscarriages and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and to determine the serum levels of first-trimester maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) as markers of angiogenesis and predictors of abortion and intrauterine fetal loss.

    Material and Methods:

    The present study was a prospective, singlecenter, randomized controlled clinical trial. Ninety-five women who were 6-10 weeks pregnant between May and June 2010 were included in the study. The subjects were divided into three groups, i.e., incomplete abortion (IA) (n=31), intrauterine death (IU-D) (n=32) and control (elective pregnancy termination) (n=32). Feto-placental materials were compared based on immune staining for VEGF in the pathology laboratory, and maternal serum samples were tested in the hormone laboratory.

    Results:

    Serum β-hCG levels in the patient groups were significantly lower than the controls (p=0.001). The serum AFP level was lower than the controls in the IA group while it was higher than the controls in the IU-D (p=0.016). Immunohistochemistry showed that the cytotrophoblast, syncytiotrophoblast and endometrial gland epithelium were weakly stained for VEGF in the patient groups (IA and IU-D) in comparison to the control group (p=0.06, p=0.028, p=0.006).

    Conclusion:

    Early pregnancy losses are related to insufficient angiogenesis, and maternal serum AFP and β-hCG can be used as markers of angiogenesis in the first trimester.

    Keywords: Abortion, implantation, angiogenesis, VEGF, ß, -hCG, AFP

    References

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