Maternal serum vasohibin-1 and vasohibin-2 concentrations in pregnant women diagnosed with late fetal growth restriction or small for gestational age fetus

Abstract

Aims: Vasohibin 1, a member of the vasohibin family, is an inhibitor of angiogenesis, while vasohibin 2 stimulates angiogenesis. Placental expressions of vasohibins and their relationship with preeclampsia have been investigated, but their effects on intrauterine fetal growth are unknown. In this context, we aimed to investigate the concentrations of vasohibin 1 and 2 in the serum of pregnant women diagnosed with late fetal growth restriction (FGR) or small for gestational age (SGA) in the third trimester. Methods: This prospective non-interventional cohort study was conducted on 81 pregnant women, 26 of whom were diagnosed with late FGR, 28 were SGA, and 27 were healthy controls. Three groups were compared in terms of serum vasohibin 1 and 2 concentrations in the third trimester. Results: Three groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics and gestational age at blood sampling for vasohibin 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). The median vasohibin 1 concentration was determined as 1227.41 ng/mL in the late FGR group, 1311.15 ng/mL in the SGA group, and 1391.38 ng/mL in the control group (p = 0.139). The median vasohibin 2 concentration was determined as 11.24 ng/mL in the late FGR group, 11.86 ng/mL in the SGA group, and 14.34 ng/mL in the control group (p = 0.198). Conclusion: Serum vasohibin 1 and 2 concentrations were found to be similar in pregnant women diagnosed with late FGR and SGA and pregnant women with AGA fetuses. Vasohibin 1 and 2 are involved in the regulation of placental angiogenesis, but their roles in intrauterine fetal growth remain unclear.