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Variation of Complement Protein Levels in Maternal Plasma and Umbilical Cord Blood during Normal Pregnancy : An Observational Study

Saleh, Muna LU ; Compagno, Michele LU ; Pihl, Sofia ; Strevens, Helena LU ; Persson, Barbro ; Wetterö, Jonas ; Nilsson, Bo and Sjöwall, Christopher (2022) In Journal of Clinical Medicine 11(13). p.1-11
Abstract
The complement system constitutes a crucial part of the innate immunity, mediating opsonization, lysis, inflammation, and elimination of potential pathogens. In general, there is an increased activity of the complement system during pregnancy, which is essential for maintaining the host’s defense and fetal survival. Unbalanced or excessive activation of the complement system in the placenta is associated with pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage, preeclampsia, and premature birth. Nonetheless, the actual clinical value of monitoring the activation of the complement system during pregnancy remains to be investigated. Unfortunately, normal reference values specifically for pregnant women are missing, and for umbilical cord blood... (More)
The complement system constitutes a crucial part of the innate immunity, mediating opsonization, lysis, inflammation, and elimination of potential pathogens. In general, there is an increased activity of the complement system during pregnancy, which is essential for maintaining the host’s defense and fetal survival. Unbalanced or excessive activation of the complement system in the placenta is associated with pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage, preeclampsia, and premature birth. Nonetheless, the actual clinical value of monitoring the activation of the complement system during pregnancy remains to be investigated. Unfortunately, normal reference values specifically for pregnant women are missing, and for umbilical cord blood (UCB), data on complement protein levels are scarce. Herein, complement protein analyses (C1q, C3, C4, C3d levels, and C3d/C3 ratio) were performed in plasma samples from 100 healthy, non-medicated and non-smoking pregnant women, collected during different trimesters and at the time of delivery. In addition, UCB was collected at all deliveries. Maternal plasma C1q and C3d/C3 ratio showed the highest mean values during the first trimester, whereas C3, C4, and C3d had rising values until delivery. We observed low levels of C1q and C4 as well as increased C3d and C3d/C3 ratio, particularly during the first trimester, as a sign of complement activation in some women. However, the reference limits of complement analyses applied for the general population appeared appropriate for the majority of the samples. As expected, the mean complement concentrations in UCB were much lower than in maternal plasma, due to the immature complement system in neonates. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Clinical Medicine
volume
11
issue
13
article number
3611
pages
1 - 11
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85132314160
  • pmid:35806894
ISSN
2077-0383
DOI
10.3390/jcm11133611
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
07458001-d258-4f23-9e94-3f8ad8b1735d
date added to LUP
2022-06-24 01:20:41
date last changed
2022-09-23 03:00:06
@article{07458001-d258-4f23-9e94-3f8ad8b1735d,
  abstract     = {{The complement system constitutes a crucial part of the innate immunity, mediating opsonization, lysis, inflammation, and elimination of potential pathogens. In general, there is an increased activity of the complement system during pregnancy, which is essential for maintaining the host’s defense and fetal survival. Unbalanced or excessive activation of the complement system in the placenta is associated with pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage, preeclampsia, and premature birth. Nonetheless, the actual clinical value of monitoring the activation of the complement system during pregnancy remains to be investigated. Unfortunately, normal reference values specifically for pregnant women are missing, and for umbilical cord blood (UCB), data on complement protein levels are scarce. Herein, complement protein analyses (C1q, C3, C4, C3d levels, and C3d/C3 ratio) were performed in plasma samples from 100 healthy, non-medicated and non-smoking pregnant women, collected during different trimesters and at the time of delivery. In addition, UCB was collected at all deliveries. Maternal plasma C1q and C3d/C3 ratio showed the highest mean values during the first trimester, whereas C3, C4, and C3d had rising values until delivery. We observed low levels of C1q and C4 as well as increased C3d and C3d/C3 ratio, particularly during the first trimester, as a sign of complement activation in some women. However, the reference limits of complement analyses applied for the general population appeared appropriate for the majority of the samples. As expected, the mean complement concentrations in UCB were much lower than in maternal plasma, due to the immature complement system in neonates.}},
  author       = {{Saleh, Muna and Compagno, Michele and Pihl, Sofia and Strevens, Helena and Persson, Barbro and Wetterö, Jonas and Nilsson, Bo and Sjöwall, Christopher}},
  issn         = {{2077-0383}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{13}},
  pages        = {{1--11}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Medicine}},
  title        = {{Variation of Complement Protein Levels in Maternal Plasma and Umbilical Cord Blood during Normal Pregnancy : An Observational Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm11133611}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/jcm11133611}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}