HEPATOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR LEVELS DURING NORMAL AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH-RESTRICTED PREGNANCIES

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), also known as scatter factor, binds th e c-met receptor. It has been shown to be involved in mesenchyme-epith elial interactions. HGF is produced by the villous mesenchyme of the p lacenta throughout pregnancy and its receptor located on the villous c ytotrophoblast cells. In this study the levels of HGF were measured in consecutive samples of plasma taken from pregnant women. Normal pregn ancies were compared with intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) pregna ncies (below the third centile). In both groups, the levels of HGF wer e found to increase significantly as pregnancy progressed and then fal l post partum. There was a considerable amount of variation found betw een individual women but no significant difference (P = 0.65) between the normal and IUGR pregnancies. (C) 1998 W. B. Saunders Company Ltd.