ABSTRACT
Objective: Quantification of circulating fetal and total cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and soluble human leucocyte antigen (HLAG) in gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.
Methods: Serum cfDNA were quantified in controls, pre-eclamptics, and gestational hypertensive patients using real-time qPCR. Soluble HLAG was measured by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay.
Results: Serum fetal and total cfDNA levels were higher in pre-eclampsia compared with the controls and gestational hypertensives (p < 0.001), more so in severe compared with mild-to-moderate pre-eclampsia (p < 0.05). Soluble HLAG levels were lower in pre-eclamptics than controls and gestational hypertension (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Circulating fetal and total cfDNA were increased, while soluble HLAG was decreased in pre-eclampsia.
Acknowledgments
We acknowledge Dr R. Maharaj, Dr K. Moodley, Ms Z. Mkhize, and Mr N. Soobryan for their assistance.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.
Funding
This work was supported by the South African National Research Foundation [91544].