Project 172708

Preeclampsia (PE) is a disease that affects 2-7% of all pregnant women and is one of the major causes of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality throughout the world. The underlying cause for this enigmatic disease is unknown. Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is a molecule that is made by placental cells during pregnancy. Much evidence, from our group and others, supports the notion that this molecule plays a critical role in protection of babies from a maternal immune response. We have intriguing evidence suggesting that there is a mutation in the HLA-G gene associated with the development of preeclampsia. The overall goal of this grant submission will be to study, in a prospective fashion, the predictive value of this HLA-G gene mutation for preeclampsia. A predictive test for preeclampsia could allow obstetricians to be more vigilant when caring for pregnant women at high risk for this disease, by increasing surveillance, and it could potentially allow intervention before the development of more severe disease manifestations, that could be harmful for the mother and/or her baby. Such a test could also allow us to design research studies to to study potential preventative therapies in those patients at higher risk for development of this condition.