Functionalized Magnetic Beads Help Treat Preeclampsia

Using blood from women with preeclampsia, the researchers showed that the magnetic beads reduced sFlt-1 by 40% and freed up twice as much PIGF, reducing the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio by 63%. The study was published on May 13, 2019, in Hypertension.

“Preeclampsia is a hypertensive pregnancy disease associated with a massive increase in sFlt-1 in the maternal circulation, responsible for angiogenic imbalance and endothelial dysfunction,” said lead author professor of obstetrics and gynecology Vassilis Tsatsaris, MD, PhD, of Cochin Hospital. “This was a proof of concept study and our approach aims to restore physiologic levels of angiogenic factors. The reduction of sFlt-1 and the release of angiogenic factors is very significant and promising.”

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and kidney dysfunction that can cause severe complications for both the mother (including seizures, stroke, renal failure, and liver dysfunction) and the infant (such as low birth weight, preterm delivery, and stillbirth). The condition also increases a woman's risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Currently, there is no cure, and only childbirth can alleviate the symptoms. About 10 million pregnant women develop preeclampsia annually, causing approximately 500,000 fetal and neonatal and 76,000 maternal deaths.

Related Links:
Université Paris Descartes
Sorbonne University
Cochin Hôtel-Dieu Hospital