Flow Cytometric Detection of Platelet Activation in Preeclampsia Compared with Uncomplicated Pregnancy

Kim, Y J; Ahn, J J; Woo, Bock Hi; Park, MI Young

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Platelet activation is a feature of normal pregnancy and plays an important role in the pathophysiolowgic mechanisms of preedampsia, Our purpose was to investigate platelet activation status by flow cytometric analysis in preeclampsia compared with normotensive uncomplicated pregnancy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We analyzed the activation of platelet in whole blood from sixteen severe preeclamptic third-trimester pregnant women compared with sixteen normotensive third- trimester pregnant women at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital from September 1997 to July 1998. Anti-platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-l(anti PECAM-1, CD31) was used as an activation marker and measured by FACScalibur flow cytometer.
RESULTS
The mean(+/- standard deviation) gestational age of preeclampsia and normotensive pregnancy were 34.5+/-3.9 weeks, 38.3+/-2.8 weeks and whole blood platelet counts were 220.0+/-264.9x10(9)/L, 212.8+/-58.6x10(9)/L, respectively, With analysis of the percentage of activated platelets, anti PECAM-1(CD31) expression was increased in preedampsia compared with normotensive uncomplicated pregnancy(p=0.038). However no difference between them was found in platelet counts and mean fluorescence intensities.
CONCLUSION
Flow cytometric analysis indicated that platelets circulate in a more extensively activated state in preeclampsia than in normotensive uncomplicated pregnancy. Whole blood flow cytometry is a sensihve technique for investigating platelet activation.