Human placental lactogen mRNA in maternal plasma play a role in prenatal diagnosis of abnormally invasive placenta: yes or no?

Abstract Background: mRNA of placental origin (i.e., human placental lactogen and β-human chorionic gonadotropin) has been demonstrated to be easily detectable in maternal plasma. We tested whether detection of chromosome 21-encoded mRNA of placental origin is possible in maternal plasma obtained during the first trimester. Methods: Plasma samples were obtained from pregnant women between weeks 9–13 of pregnancy. RNA was isolated from 800 or 1600 μL of plasma by silica-based affinity isolation and, after on-column DNase treatment, was subjected to two-step, one-tube reverse transcription-PCR with gene specific primers. Results: Three chromosome 21-encoded genes located within the Down syndrome critical region with overexpression in trisomy 21 placentas were screened for expression in early placental tissue to select their potential use for RNA based plasma screening. One of the chromosome 21-encoded genes (LOC90625) showed strong expression in first trimester placenta similar to CSH1 (human placental lactogen) and was selected for plasma analysis. The RNA isolation assay was validated with CSH1 mRNA, which could be detected in the plasma of all women tested in weeks 9–13 of pregnancy. RNA from the chromosome 21-encoded, placentally expressed gene, LOC90625, was present in maternal first-trimester plasma and could be detected in 60% of maternal plasma samples when 800 μL of plasma was used and in 100% of samples when 1600 μL of plasma was used. Conclusion: The detection of chromosome 21-encoded mRNA of placental origin in maternal plasma during the first trimester may allow development of plasma-RNA-based strategies for prenatal prediction of Down syndrome. LOC90625 is a candidate gene for this purpose.

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Plasma GHRH, CRH, ACTH, β-endorphin, human placental lactogen, GH and cortisol concentrations at the third trimester of pregnancy

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.1200785 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 120 (6) ◽

pp. 785-789 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

W. Jeske ◽

P. Soszyński ◽

W. Rogoziński ◽

E. Lukaszewicz ◽

W. Latoszewska ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gestational Age ◽

Plasma Concentrations ◽

Maternal Plasma ◽

Placental Lactogen ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Human Placental Lactogen ◽

Strong Correlations ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Placental Function ◽

Duration Of Pregnancy

Abstract. The aim of the study was to determine the concentration of GHRH and CRH in maternal plasma during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and to search for the possible correlations with related hormones such as ACTH, β-endorphin, cortisol, GH and human placental lactogen. Patients consisted of 31 healthy pregnant women (20–39 years) divided according to duration of pregnancy into 2 groups: I. from 26 to 32 pregnancy week N = 13), II. from 33 to 39 week (N = 18), and of 7 women evaluated 3 days after delivery. All listed hormones except ACTH were measured by RIA (GHRH, CRH and β-endorphin-like immunoreactivity after extraction with silic acid) and ACTH by IRMA. In the late 3rd trimester plasma levels of CRH (P< 0.001), ACTH (P< 0.02), β-endorphin (P< 0.05), cortisol (P< 0.025), as well as GHRH (P< 0.002) and human placental lactogen (hPL) (P< 0.001) were increased in comparison to early 3rd trimester, whereas 3 days after delivery CRH and GHRH became undetectable and those of ACTH and cortisol decreased significantly. The CRH plasma concentrations were found to be strongly correlated with gestational age (r = 0.86, P< 0.001) but not with ACTH and cortisol. GHRH levels correlated mainly with human placental lactogen concentrations (r = 0.64, P< 0.001). Conclusion: In maternal plasma at the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, apart from the known markedly elevated CRH, the GHRH level was also raised. Strong correlations between CRH and gestational age and those between GHRH and human placental lactogen suggest that there is a relationship between these neurohormones and the placental function.

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