Glycosylated Fibronectin as a wide-spectrum biomarker in pregnancy

Abstract

Glycosylated Fibronectin (GFN), a glycoprotein involved in cell adhesion and migration, has been implicated in several physiological and pathological processes. Current literature suggests its altered glycosylation patterns might be associated with various pregnancy complications with recent studies providing new empirical evidence from a cohort study involving more than 2,000 pregnant women. The aim of this review, is to summarize the association of GFN levels and its glycosylation patterns with various outcomes including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), spontaneous preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in order to identify potential patterns of the use of GFN as a biomarker for predicting a wide range of pregnancy-related complications, and to provide evidence for further investigation on new diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies.