Increased Serum Levels Of High Mobility Group Protein B1 And Calprotectin In Pre-Eclampsia

Objective: To determine whether women with pre-eclampsia have serum levels of biomarkers indicative of an elevated systemic inflammatory response.Method: The present cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women either with pre-eclampsia or without pre-eclampsia who were recruited at a single Chinese hospital between August 1, 2016, and April 30, 2017. Eligible women had no history of acute or chronic inflammation. Serum concentrations of high mobility group protein B1 (HMG-1), calprotectin, and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) were measured and compared.Results: There were 55 patients included (25 with pre-eclampsia and 30 without) The mean serum concentration of calprotectin was 2656.76 +/- 1724.56 mu g/L in the pre-eclampsia group versus 1877.33 +/- 905.69 mu g/L in the control group (P=0.036). Among patients with pre-eclampsia, elevated calprotectin levels were positively associated with the duration of hypertension in pregnancy (P=0.031) and were negatively associated with pregnancy duration at delivery (P=0.035). The mean serum concentration of HMG-1 was 72.48 +/- 27.57 mu g/L in the pre-eclampsia group versus 57.57 +/- 20.07 mu g/L in the control group (P=0.017). The mean serum concentration of TLR4 was 22.83 +/- 8.46 mu g/L in the pre-eclampsia group versus 18.83 +/- 6.79 mu g/L in the control group (P=0.057).Conclusion: Elevated levels of HMG-1 arid calprotectin could reflect an excessive systemic inflammatory response in pre-eclampsia.