Preeclampsia (PE) is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Klotho is a novel gene and the secret form, α-klotho (α-KL), is related to preeclampsia. We conducted this cross-sectional study in Wuhan, China. We used immunohistochemistry, real-time PCR, western blot, ELISA to measure α-KL expression in placenta and its secretion in maternal and umbilical cord serum, and analyzed correlations between α-KL level and other parameters in normal and preeclampsia pregnancy. We found that both mRNA and protein expression of placental α-KL in women with PE was significantly lower than that in normal pregnancy. Also, expression level of α-KL in both maternal and umbilical cord was markedly decreased in PE patients. Further analyses showed that serum α-KL exhibited positive association with fetal birth weight, and reverse association with oxidative stress and renal function markers. Receiver operating characteristic analysis suggested α-KL might be a potential predictor for preeclampsia.
Keywords: Preeclampsia; fetal birth weight; oxidative stress; receiver operating characteristic; renal function; α-klotho.