Angiogenic growth factors and their receptors in first-trimester human decidua of pregnancies further complicated by preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction

Disturbances in decidual and placental vascular development may play a role in the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications. This study focused on the role of angiogenic factors in the first trimester in the pathogenesis of preeeclampsia (PF) and/or fetal growth restriction (FGR). First-trimester decidua was obtained during chorionic villous sampling. The expression of (the angiogenic factors was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and related to the pregnancy outcome. First-trimester decidua expressed all angiogenic factors. The differential expression of angiogenic factors appeared to be more prominent in FGR than in PE. These first-trimester samples provided a unique opportunity to obtain information regarding the onset of PE and FGR. First-trimester changes in angiogenic factor expression may well occur as a compensator), mechanism. This, in turn, may unintentionally set the stage for increased angiogenesis and altered decidual/placental vascular adaptation, which may be part of the pathogenesis of PE and/or FGR.