Role of angiopoietin-2, endoglin, and placental growth factor in HIV-associated preeclampsia

ABSTRACT

Objective: The factors angiopoeitin-2 (Ang-2), endoglin (Eng), and placental growth factor (PlGF) have been implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia (PE). This study assessed their serum levels in HIV-negative and HIV-positive pregnant normotensive and pre-eclamptic women.

Methods: Participants were recruited at the antenatal clinic, serum samples were evaluated using the Bioplex Human Cancer Biomarker (panel 2).

Results: Ang-2 and Eng levels were higher, whilst PlGF levels were lower in the PE compared with the normotensive group. Pregnancy type had no significant effect on Ang-2 and showed a significant interaction with Eng (p < 0.0001) and PlGF (p = 0.0033). HIV status had no significant effect on angiopoeitin-2 (p = 0.4), Eng (p = 0.4), and PlGF (p = 0.7) but the levels were slightly higher in the HIV-negative cohort.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates an elevation of Ang-2 and Eng in pre-eclamptic compared with normotensive pregnant women implicating their role in its pathogenesis.

KEYWORDS:

• Angiopoietin-2
• endoglin
• HIV
• placental growth factor
• preeclampsia

Acknowledgments

Our immense gratitude to Dr. K Maduray and Dr. F Odun-Ayo for their continuous help with this manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Funding

The authors thank the UKZN College of Health Sciences for funding this study.

Additional information

Funding

The authors thank the UKZN College of Health Sciences for funding this study.