Preeclampsia is associated with alterations in insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-Binding proteins in Wharton's jelly of the umbilical cord

Wharton's jelly is abundant in extracellular matrix, which is known as a st orage site to concentrate and stabilise growth factors in the vicinity of c ells. It was previously found that Wharton's jelly contains significant amo unts of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and IGF-binding proteins (BPs). IGF-1 is a stimulator of biosynthetics of collagen and sulphated glycosamin oglycans. Preeclampsia (edema, proteinuria, hypertension (EPH)gestosis) is accompanied by an accumulation of sulphated glycosaminoglycans in Wharton's jelly. IGF-1 and BPs may play an important role in such a remodelling of t his tissue. It was decided to evaluate the alterations in amounts of IGF-1 and BPs in Wharton's jelly of newborns delivered by mothers with preeclamps ia. Studies were performed on Wharton's jelly of 10 controls and 10 newborn s delivered by mothers with preeclampsia (edema, proteinuria > 500 mg/l, ar terial pressure: systolic > 140 mm Hg, diastolic >90 mmHg). Radioimmunologi cal techniques were employed to determine IGF-1 and IGF-BPs (BP-1 and BP-3) . It was found that preeclampsia is associated with a decrease in IGF-1-and IGF-BP-1 in Wharton's jelly. A slight increase in IGF-BP-3 was found. Liga nd blotting demonstrated that BP-3 (not BP-1) is a main component of Whart on's jelly which binds IGF-1. Heparin drastically inhibited the binding of IGF-1 by BP-3. It is known from our previous studies that preeclampsia is a ssociated with an increase in the amount of sulphated glycosaminoglycans (h eparin, heparan sulphate, dermatan sulphate) in Wharton's jelly. This may b e a factor, which prevents the binding of IGF-1 by BPs and facilitates the binding of IGF-1 to cells, stimulating them to produce sulphated glycosamin oglycans in Wharton's jelly.