[Study of the relationship between complement activation and vascular endothelial damage in pregnancy induced hypertension].

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between complement activation and vascular endothelial damage in pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH).

METHODS

We quantified C1q, B-factor (BF) and C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) in peripheral and retroplacental sera of 35 nulliparous PIH patients and 20 normotensive controls with double antibody sandwich ELISA. Circulating endothelial cell (CEC)of the two groups were isolated with the density gradient system of Percoll liquid and counted under microscope. The correlation between CEC and C1q was analysed.

RESULTS

(1) C1q concentrations in peripheral and retroplacental sera were significantly decreased in PIH patients than that in normotensive controls, however, the concentrations of BF and C1-INH were significantly elevated in PIH patients. The changes in retroplacental serum were much more profound than those in peripheral serum. (2) The count of CEC was significantly increased in PIH patients than that in controls. (3) The count of CEC was negatively correlated to C1q concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

Not only the classical complement activation pathway but also the alternative complement activation pathway and complement regulatory protein play important roles in the pathogenesis of PIH, and complement activation and vascular endothelial damage is correlated. Evaluation of C1q, BF, C1-INH and CEC may be of value in clinical monitoring and management of PIH.