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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2021; 81(11): 1247-1255
DOI: 10.1055/a-1557-1234
GebFra Science
Original Article

Comparison of Maternal Serum Levels and Placental mRNA Levels of Dickkopf-1 in Preeclamptic and Normal Pregnant Women at Delivery

Vergleich von Dickkopf-1-Konzentrationen in mütterlichem Serum und planzentärem mRNA in Frauen mit Präeklampsie und Frauen mit normaler Schwangerschaft bei der Geburt
Mariz Kasoha
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Zoltan Takacs
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Lena Fackiner
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Christoph Gerlinger
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Panagiotis Sklavounos
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Julia Radosa
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Erich-Franz Solomayer
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
,
Amr Hamza
Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, University Medical School of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany
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Abstract

Background Preeclampsia remains a major cause of perinatal and maternal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Wnt/β-catenin signaling is known to be critically involved in placenta development processes. Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is a key regulator of this transduction pathway. The aim of this study is to compare maternal serum DKK1 levels and placental mRNA levels of DKK1 and β-catenin in preeclamptic and normal pregnant women at delivery.

Methods The present study included 30 women with preeclampsia and 30 women with normal pregnancy. Maternal serum DKK1 levels were measured by ELISA. Placental mRNA levels of DKK1 and β-catenin were detected using RT-PCR.

Results Decreased maternal serum DKK1 levels were associated with worse maternal and fetal complications including HELLP syndrome, determination of one or more pathological symptom and IUGR diagnosis. No significant difference in maternal serum DKK1 levels was reported between preeclamptic women and women with normal pregnancy. Placental mRNA DKK1 levels were lower in preeclamptic women compared with normal pregnant women. Placental mRNA β-catenin levels showed no significant difference between two groups.

Conclusions Our findings reported the aberrant placental mRNA DKK1 levels in patients with preeclampsia. In addition, worse preeclampsia features were associated with decreased maternal serum DKK1 levels. Hence, aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling might present a plausible mechanism in preeclampsia pathogenicity. Dysregulated expression of DKK1 at gene level in the placenta but not at protein level in the maternal serum might confirm the notion that preeclampsia is a type of placenta-derived disease.

Zusammenfassung

Hintergrund Präeklampsie ist immer noch eine der wesentlichen Ursachen für die perinatale und mütterliche Mortalität und Morbidität weltweit. Wnt/β-Catenin-Signalisierung spielt bekanntlich eine wichtige Rolle bei der Entwicklung der Plazenta, und Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) ist ein zentraler Regulator dieses Transduktionswegs. Ziel dieser Studie war es, die DKK1-Konzentrationen im mütterlichen Serum und die plazentären Konzentrationen von DKK1 und β-Catenin in Frauen mit Präeklampsie und in Frauen mit normaler Schwangerschaft bei der Geburt zu vergleichen.

Methoden Es wurden insgesamt 30 Frauen mit Präeklampsie und 30 Frauen mit normalem Schwangerschaftsverlauf in die Studie aufgenommen. DKK1-Konzentrationen im mütterlichen Serum wurden mit ELISA gemessen. Die plazentären mRNA-Konzentrationen von DKK1 und β-Catenin wurden mithilfe von RT-PCR ermittelt.

Ergebnisse Niedrige DKK1-Konzentrationen im mütterlichen Serum waren mit schlechteren mütterlichen und fötalen Komplikationen assoziiert, darunter HELLP-Syndrom, einem oder mehreren pathologischen Symptomen bzw. der Diagnose einer intrauterinen Wachstumsretardierung. Es wurde kein signifikanter Unterschied in den DKK1-Konzentrationen im mütterlichen Serum zwischen Frauen mit Präeklampsie und Frauen mit normaler Schwangerschaft festgestellt. Die plazentären mRNA-DKK1-Konzentrationen waren niedriger bei Frauen mit Präeklampsie verglichen mit den Konzentrationen bei Frauen mit normaler Schwangerschaft. Es fanden sich aber keine signifikanten Unterschiede in den plazentären mRNA-β-Catenin-Konzentrationen zwischen den beiden Gruppen.

Schlussfolgerungen Unsere Ergebnisse weisen auf abnormale plazentäre mRNA-DKK1-Konzentrationen bei Patientinnen mit Präeklampsie hin. Dazu kommt noch, dass ein schlechterer Verlauf der Präeklampsie mit verminderten DKK1-Konzentrationen im mütterlichen Serum assoziiert ist. Dies weist darauf hin, dass eine abnormale Wnt/β-Catenin-Signalisierung einen plausiblen Mechanismus bei der Pathogenität von Präeklampsie darstellen könnte. Die Dysregulierung der Expression von DKK1 auf der genetischen Ebene in der Plazenta, nicht aber auf der Ebene des Proteins im mütterlichen Serum könnte die These untermauern, dass Präeklampsie eine Art plazentabedingte Erkrankung ist.

Key words

preeclampsia - Wnt/β-catenin signaling - Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) - serum - placenta - pathogenicity

Schlüsselwörter

Präeklampsie - Wnt/β-Catenin-Signalisierung - Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) - Serum - Plazenta - Pathogenität


Publication History

Received: 12 April 2021

Accepted: 22 July 2021

Article published online:
04 November 2021

© 2021. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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