Serum soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in early pregnancy prior to clinical onset of preeclampsia

Abstract

Objective. To examine whether soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in early pregnancy could be a risk marker for later development of preeclampsia. Design. Case‐control study. Setting. Hospital‐based. Population. The study comprised 43 pregnant women developing preeclampsia (cases) and 86 pregnant women not developing the disorder (controls). Each case was matched with two controls with respect to pre‐pregnancy body mass index, gestational age at time of blood collection, storage time of blood samples and maternal age. Methods. The samples had been taken predominantly in the first trimester as part of a routine serological screening for rubella, HIV and toxoplasmosis of Norwegian pregnant women, and were analyzed by a commercially available enzyme‐linked immunosorbent suPARnostic® assay kit (ELISA, Virogates, Copenhagen, Denmark). Results. There was no significant difference between median suPAR levels in women who subsequently developed preeclampsia and those who did not (4.5 in the case group vs. 4.3 ng/mL in the control group, p= 0.49). The suPAR levels were relatively high compared with levels in non‐pregnant women, reflecting some general physiological responsiveness associated with pregnancy irrespective of preeclampsia. The suPAR level was not related to maternal body mass index, maternal age or sample storage time, nor did it show any association with the following fetal characteristics: body weight, body length, placental weight, delivery method or gender. Conclusion. suPAR did not appear to be a useful early pre‐clinical marker of preeclampsia.

Pregestational overweight and obesity are associated with differences in gut microbiota composition and systemic inflammation in the third trimester

“…Changes in plasmatic haptoglobin have been proposed as a biomarker of preeclampsia [ 5 – 7 ]. The soluble urokinase plasminogen activating receptor (suPAR) is a newly characterized inflammatory marker during pregnancy, but thus far, no clear evidence of its predictive value for the later development of pregnancy complications has been found [ 8 , 9 ]. Inflammatory changes during pregnancy are accompanied by shifts in gut microbiota.…”

Comparison of Aptamer-Based and Antibody-Based Assays for Protein Quantification in Chronic Kidney Disease

“…However, previous studies have demonstrated that although long-term storage and repeated freeze-thaw cycles can affect the stability of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN- γ , and TNF- α , this effect can be attenuated by storing samples at −80°C (32 –34). Serum samples of TNFRSF1A, TNFRSF1B, and suPAR have been shown to be resistant to significant degradation after long-term storage and undergoing at least one freeze-thaw cycle (32,35,36). Similarly, levels of serum cystatin C stored for multiple years at −70°C have been shown to remain stable after one freeze-thaw cycle (37).…”

Serum Levels of Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor Are Elevated in Severe Pre-Eclampsia

“…Since serum suPAR levels are considered to represent the degree of inflammation [14], the significant difference noted in serum suPAR levels between PE and NP indicates that the activation of the inflammatory process is more pronounced in PE and furthermore that suPAR may serve as a potential marker of this inflammatory response [23]. In studies involving patients in the first and early second trimester before the clinical signs of PE are present, the assessment of suPAR concentrations was not found to predict the development of PE in late pregnancy [24,25]. This finding could imply that the inflammatory process in PE is not more pronounced until clinical signs of PE.…”