Michael J Sinosich
Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology, Australia
Title: Placental growth factor in first trimester aneuploid pregnancies
Biography
Biography: Michael J Sinosich
Abstract
Placental growth factor (PlGF) is a member of the VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) subfamily-a key molecule in angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. The main source of PlGF during pregnancy is the placental trophoblast. PlGF was retrospectively quantified (DELFIA® DXpress; PerkinElmer) in women with known pregnancy outcome. Study group consisted of: i) normal (n=300), ii) abnormal: trisomy 21=56, trisomy 18=23, trisomy 13=6, triploid=15, monosomy X=7. PlGF MoM values were calculated by LifeCycle v4 (Perkin Elmer), using lot specific derived polynomial regression curve. Median PlGF MoM values were depressed in pregnancies carrying a foetus affected with: trisomy 21=0.81 (95%CI=0.72–0.90), trisomy 13=0.87 (95%CI=0.79–0.95), trisomy 18=0.89 (95%CI=0.78–1.00), triploidy=0.68 (95%CI=0.59–0.77) or with non-viable aneuploidies. However, in viable sex chromosome aneuploidy (Monosomy X), PlGF proved less discriminatory with median MoM=0.91 (95%CI=0.76–1.06). The above findings support the inclusion of PlGF into first trimester biochemical panel for screening for fetal aneuploidy. Inclusion of PlGF, in a contingent screening model, could detect up to 98.3% of Down’s syndrome cases. In addition, PlGF has a role in first trimester for assessment of maternal wellbeing, such as, detection of early onset pre-eclampsia.