Maternal Circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Normal Pregnancies and their Relationship to Platelet Counts

Seol, Hyun Joo; Yi, Kyong Wook; Min, Joo Young; Oh, Min Jeong; Kim, Hai Joong; Lee, Jae Kwan; Hur, Jun Yong; Saw, Ho Suk; Park, Yong Kyun

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes of vascular endothelial growth factor levels in maternal circulating blood during normal pregnancies and examine their relationship with maternal platelet counts.
METHODS
The 33 subjects were selected from healthy normotensive women from the antenatal clinic at Korea University Medical Center, Guro Hospital. Blood samples for VEGF were taken at 7 to 8 weeks' gestation, 16 to 18 weeks' gestation, 24 to 26 weeks' gestation, 30 to 32 weeks' gestation, 37 to 41 weeks' gestation. Serum and plasma were extracted from all samples, and VEGF concentrations were measured in duplicates by competitive enzyme immunoassay. The 23 of them, the platelet counts were performed with an automated blood Coulter counter.
RESULTS
Serum VEGF levels during normal pregnancies were mean 6.73 ng/mL at 7-8 weeks' gestation, 7.88 ng/mL at 16-18 weeks' gestation, 7.18 ng/mL at 24-26 weeks' gestation, 8.42 ng/mL at 30-32 weeks' gestation, 14.03 ng/mL at 37-41 weeks' gestation. Plasma VEGF levels were mean 5.50 ng/ mL at 7-8 weeks' gestation, 7.23 ng/mL at 16-18 weeks' gestation, 7.98 ng/mL at 24-26 weeks' gestation, 7.35 ng/mL at 30-32 weeks' gestation, 14.05 ng/mL at 37-41 weeks' gestation. The trends in the mean VEGF levels were similar between serum and plasma, with stable levels until 30 to 32 weeks' gestation, and then the levels were increased. There was no significant difference between serum VEGF levels and plasma VEGF levels (p=0.236) and no correlation between circulating VEGF levels and platelet counts.
CONCLUSION
Our data suggests that platelets may not be the origin of elevated VEGF levels in normal pregnancies because there was no correlation between VEGF levels and platelet counts.