RELATIONSHIP OF HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR IN HUMAN UMBILICAL VEIN SERUM TO GESTATIONAL-AGE IN NORMAL PREGNANCIES

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is expressed in placental syncitium and fetal organs and acts as a mitogen, motogen, and morphogen in vitro, suggesting a role in fetal growth and development. We aimed to examine the correlates of serum HGF in human cord blood. HGF was measured by ELISA using recombinant human HGF and mouse MAb to recombinant human H GF (Immunology Institute, Tokyo). Umbilical vein blood was collected p rospectively at 148 deliveries including 94 normal preg nancies and 54 pregnancies complicated by medical conditions, primarily diabetes mel litus and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Growth parameters, gestation , pregnancy history, and perinatal events were recorded. Sera from 54 adolescents and 32 adult controls were also analyzed. Cord HGF [0.97 ( 0.66-1.33) ng/mL] [median (25-75 percentile)] was higher than HGF leve ls in adolescent sera [0.28 (0.21-0.35) ng/mL, p < 0.0001] and adult c ontrol sera [0.23 (0.14-0.31) ng/mL, p < 0.0001]. Cord HGF correlated with gestational age (r = 0.42, p = 0.0001) in normal pregnancies, wit h term babies (n = 69) having higher cord HGF than babies less than 37 wk of gestation (n = 25) [1.11 (0.78-1.45), 0.78 (0.46 -1.03) ng/mL, p = 0.0007]. However, there was no relationship between gestation and cord HGF in complicated pregnancies. Cord HGF did not differ at term b etween appropriate for gestational age babies and small for gestationa l age babies. There were no independent correlations between cord HGF and birth weight, birth length and placental weight. We provide eviden ce for the first time that cord HGF levels are high and relate to gest ation in normal pregnancies. HGF may have a significant role in fetal development during pregnancy.