Semaphorin 3F expression is reduced in pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia. An observational clinical study

Background and objective Preeclampsiais a systemic disorder, affecting 2–10% of pregnancies, characterized by a deregulated pro- and anti-angiogenic balance. Semaphorin3F is an angiogenesis inhibitor. We aimed to investigate whether semaphorin3F expression is modulated in preeclampsia. Design, setting, participants, and measurements We performed two observational single center cohort studies between March 2013 and August 2014. In the first we enrolled 110 consecutive women, undergoing an elective cesarean section; in the second we included 150 consecutive women undergoing amniocentesisfor routine clinical indications at 16–18 week of gestation. Semaphorin3F concentration was evaluated in maternal peripheral blood, venous umbilical blood and amniotic fluid, along with its placenta protein expression at the time of delivery in the first study group and in the amniotic fluidat 16–18 weeks of gestation in the second study group. Results In the first study 19 patients presented at delivery with preeclampsia. Semaphorin3F placenta tissue expression was significantly reduced in preeclampsia. In addition, semaphorin3F level at delivery was significantly lower in serum, amniotic fluidand venous umbilical blood of preeclamptic patients compared with normal pregnant women. In the prospective cohort study 14 women developed preeclampsia. In this setting, semaphorin3F amnioticlevel at 16–18 weeks of gestation was reduced in women who subsequently developed preeclampsiacompared to women with a normal pregnancy. ROC curve analysis showed that semaphorin3F amnioticlevels could identify women at higher risk of preeclampsia. Conclusions Semaphorin3F might represent a predictive biomarker of preeclampsia.