Plasma mRNA concentrations of placenta-specific 1 (PLAC1) and pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) are higher in early-onset than late-onset pre-eclampsia

Aim: Some mRNA concentrations are observed to increase in the maternal circulation in association with pre‐eclampsia, including placenta‐specific 1 (PLAC1) and pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPP‐A), which were previously proposed as predictive markers for pre‐eclampsia. Here, we investigated their concentrations in early‐onset and late‐onset pre‐eclampsia maternal plasma to determine whether different mechanisms are involved in these two forms of the disorder. Material and Methods: Peripheral blood and placental samples were collected from patients with pre‐eclampsia. RNA was extracted and levels of PLAC1 and PAPP‐A mRNAs were determined using real‐time quantitative PCR. Results: PLAC1 and PAPP‐A mRNA levels were significantly increased in plasma from pregnant women with pre‐eclampsia compared with those from healthy pregnant women. The median concentration of PLAC1 was 5.5 times higher (P