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Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation
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Hepatocyte Growth Factor Concentration in Maternal and Umbilical Cord Blood Samples and Expression in Fetal Liver

David A. Somerset, BM

Eric Jauniaux, PhD

Alastair J. Strain, PhD

Simon Afford, PhD

Division of Reproductive and Child Health and School of Biochemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UCL Medical School, London, United Kingdom

Mark D. Kilby, MD

Division of Reproductive and Child Health and School of Biochemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, UCL Medical School, London, United Kingdom; m.d.kilby{at}bham.ac.uk

Objective: To determine human placenta secretes hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and could influence fetal liver development.

Methods: Expression of HGF and c-met mRNA in samples of first- and second-trimester fetal liver and placenta was compared using a quantitative ribonuclease protection assay. Serum HGF concentration in 30 samples of paired umbilical and maternal blood from term pregancies was evaluted using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results: HGF and c-met mRNA were expressed in similar levels in liver and placent, with expression increasing from 9 to 16 weeks' gestation. Median serum HGF values were 1.4 ng/mL (maternal venous), 1.2 ng/mL (cord venous), and 1.3 ng/mL (cord arterial). The maternal venous HGF levels were significantly higher than fetal venous levels (P = .02).

Conclusions: This study does not support the hypothesis that the placenta secretes HGF, because maternal serum levels were higher then fetal and there was no significant difference beween umbilical arterial and venous samples. Fetal liver expresses abundant HGF mRNA during the first ans second trimester and expression increases in line with receptor (c-met) expression, suggesting that hepatic growth and development are independent of placental HGF.

Key Words: Hepatocyte growth factor • human • serum • pregnancy • liver

Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Vol. 7, No. 6, 333-337 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/107155760000700603
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