Erythrocytic membrane anionic charge, sialic acid content, and their correlations with urinary glycosaminoglycans in preeclampsia and eclampsia

Abstract

Compared to healthy pregnant women, changes in erythrocytic membrane anionic charge (EAC) and urinary glycosaminoglycans (U_GAGS) have been reported in African women with preeclampsia. A single previous study showed a decrease in erythrocytic membrane sialic acid (EMSA) in preeclampsia compared to healthy pregnancy; however, EMSA was not significantly different between women with preeclampsia and non-pregnant women. No study has focused on the relationships between EAC, EMSA, and U_GAGS in preeclampsia and eclampsia compared to healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women of reproductive age. Moreover, the erythrocyte membrane contains sialoglycoproteins and proteoglycans involved in creating the negatively charged cell surface, disruption of which leads to erythrocyte aggregation seen in preeclampsia/eclampsia. However, the etiopathogenesis of preeclampsia and eclampsia remains unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the relationship between EAC, U_GAGS, and EMSA in preeclampsia and eclampsia. Three groups of 30 women each were enrolled: Group A (non-pregnant women), Group B (healthy pregnant women without complications), and Group C (women with preeclampsia/eclampsia). EMSA was diminished under oxidative stress prevalent in eclampsia and preeclampsia which might have caused a decreased EAC. EAC was negatively correlated with U_GAGS and positively correlated with EMSA (p < .001). EMSA was negatively correlated with U_GAGS (p < .001). In conclusion, a loss of sialic acid from the erythrocyte membrane causes a significant decrease in the EAC which mirrors the decrease in the negative charge of the renal glomerular basement membrane and might lead to proteinuria and increased U_GAGS excretion in preeclampsia and eclampsia.

Keywords:

• Erythrocyte membrane
• sialic acids
• glycosaminoglycans
• preeclampsia
• eclampsia

Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere gratitude towards the faculty, laboratory technicians and all other staff of Department of Biochemistry and Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. Additionally the authors express their gratitude toward Prof (Dr.) Avijit Hazra, IPGMER and SSKM Hospital for his valuable support in statistical analysis.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Data availability

https://osf.io/vjcny/?view_only=3ebffce11d314ac384f8e2995c526a03

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

Prof (Dr) Chandan Sarkar procured the reagents required in the study.