Serum Beclin-1 Levels in Patients With Preeclampsia: a Case Control Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic degradation process in cellular physiology. Beclin-1 is a protein that regulates this process and is used as a marker of this process in tissues. We evaluated the serum beclin-1 levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia. Methods 41 women with preeclampsia and 47 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were enrolled in the study. Maternal serum levels of beclin-1 were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (ELISA). Demographic data and several other parameters were also recorded and analyzed. Results Mean serum beclin-1 levels were lower in patients with preeclampsia and this difference was statistically significant (6.32±.65 vs 4.05±.67, p<0.05). Urea and creatinine levels were significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia (p<0.005). Beclin-1 levels were found as statistically different in early and late preeclampsia groups as well, again revealing lower mean beclin-1 levels in preeclamptic patients (p: 0.000, p: 0.000 respectively) Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the serum beclin-1 levels in patients with preeclampsia and demonstrated the altered serum beclin-1 levels in preeclamptic patients. This finding suggests that serum beclin-1 levels also reflect the altered autophagy process in preeclampsia and can be utilized as a clinical tool.