Comparison of VEGF and soluble FLT-1 gene expression in Korean normal and preeclamptic placentas

The purpose of this study is to compare the expression of VEGF, FLT-1, and sFLT-1 genes in normal and preeclamptic hurnan placentas, and to discuss the roles of these genes in preeclarnpsia. This study involved an investigation of 12 nornial Korean pregnant women and 10 preeclamptic Korean pregnant women at EuIji University Hospital from March 2003 to February 2004. The tissue samples obtained were analyzed by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and real tirne quaniantitative(q) RT-PCR. We have known the overexpression of sFLT-1 mRNA preeclamptic placenta. In qPCR, sFLT-l mRNA were overexpressed by 4.6time in preeclamptic placenta than normal pregnant placenta. And VEGF mRNA level in preeclamptic placenta is downexpressed than normal pregnant placenta. There was no difference in the levels of msFLT-1 gene expression between normal pregnant won-len and preeclamptic patients. In the preeclamptic placenta, sFLT-1 is suspected to be causal factors in preeclampsia and VEGF is considered to play an essential role. sFLT-1 and FLT-1 expression is presumed to be regulated at the stage of pre-mRNA.