Journal article
Metabolomics reveals pre-eclamptic-protective mechanisms within individuals
European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology, Vol.317, 114877
02/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.114877
PMID: 41353857
Abstract
Objectives
Pre-eclampsia is a common and dangerous hypertensive pregnancy complication, with recurrence in as many as 80% of subsequent pregnancies. However, it is often difficult to predict recurrence. Further complicating risk assessment and biomarker development, the genetic and environmental drivers of pre-eclampsia are varied and numerous. In this study, a longitudinal, repeated-measures design was used to control for many of these drivers, and to isolate factors that may be associated with pre-eclampsia in subsequent pregnancies.
Study design
In an exploratory cohort (n = 14) of individuals who had a pregnancy affected by pre-eclampsia and then had an immediate subsequent pregnancy without pre-eclampsia, late-gestation circulating metabolomics were evaluated utilizing a targeted (83 analytes) metabolomics profiling approach. Metabolites were extracted from maternal plasma samples collected from successive pregnancies.
Main outcome measures
Derivatized samples were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, and metabolites were identified and annotated in accordance with reference standards. All data were normalized ratiometrically and scaled uniformly.
Results
Exploratory comparisons of pre-eclamptic and non-pre-eclamptic pregnancies revealed significant differences in inositol, methyl citrate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and cysteine levels. Metabolite set quantitative enrichment analysis showed that pyruvate metabolism was potentially enriched among metabolites changed by pre-eclamptic status.
Conclusions
These findings demonstrate that metabolomic changes within individuals may biomark subsequent risk for pre-eclampsia, and specific metabolites may prove to be successful targets for future studies of pre-eclamptic therapeutics.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Metabolomics reveals pre-eclamptic-protective mechanisms within individuals
- Creators
- Serena B. Gumusoglu - University of IowaBrandon M. Schickling - University of IowaDonna A. Santillan - University of IowaMark K. Santillan - University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- European journal of obstetrics & gynecology and reproductive biology, Vol.317, 114877
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2025.114877
- PMID
- 41353857
- NLM abbreviation
- Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol
- ISSN
- 0301-2115
- eISSN
- 1872-7654
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Grant note
- University of Iowa Public Private Partnership ProjectNational Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health Award: UL1TR002537
This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (5T32HL007121-45 to SBG, T32HL007344 to BMS, P50HD10355601A1 and R01HD08994005 to MKS), the Swift Family Foundation Grant (to SBG), the American Heart Association (18SCG34350001 and 19IPLOI34760288 to MKS, 22POST30908921 to SBG), the Iowa Health Data Resource and University of Iowa Public Private Partnership Project (to DAS), and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health Award (UL1TR002537 to DAS and MKS).r Data Resource and University of Iowa Public Private Partnership Project (to DAS) , and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health Award (UL1TR002537 to DAS and MKS) .
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2026
- Academic Unit
- Psychiatry; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Record Identifier
- 9985091810602771
Metrics
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