Calprotectin, RAGE and TNF-α in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: expression and significance

To investigate the expression of calprotectin, the receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in hypertensive disorders in pregnancy as well as the significance of their expression. The research assessed levels of plasma calprotectin and TNF-alpha using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and expression of calprotectin, RAGE and TNF-alpha in placenta tissues using the immunohistochemistry streptavidin-peroxidase (S-P) method in 60 women with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and 32 women with normal pregnancy (as the controls). Compared with the control group, the levels of calprotectin, RAGE and TNF-alpha were elevated in plasma or placenta tissues in the group with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, and were positively correlated with severity of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. The levels of calprotectin were consistent with TNF-alpha in plasma and placenta tissues in the group with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. Changes in calprotectin, RAGE and TNF-alpha levels in maternal serum and placental tissue correlate to the pathogenesis and disease progression of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.