Serum MUC3 Protein as a Novel Marker of Gestational Hypertensive Disorders

Background This study aimed to investigate the serum levels of mucoprotein 3 in hypertensive diseases of pregnancy. Methods In total, 60 consecutive women with gestational hypertensive diseases (gestational hypertension ( n = 20), severe preeclampsia ( n = 20), HELLP syndrome ( n = 20)) and 20 pregnant women without any gestational hypertensive diseases were included for this prospective controlled study. Serum MUC3 protein levels were measured with commercially available ELISA kits. Results Serum MUC3 protein level was the lowest in normal pregnant women (0.1047 ± 0.0295 ng/ml); while the severity of the disease increases, it significantly increased in severe preeclampsia (0.2700 ± 0.0199 ng/mL) and HELLP syndrome group (0.3494 ± 0.0455 ng/mL), but less in the gestational hypertension (0.2172 ± 0.0354 ng/mL) group. Mean serum MUC3 protein level differences were found the least in gestational hypertension (0.1125 ± 0.0107, p