Comparative proteomic analysis of II trimester human amniotic fluid (AF) of normal and severe preeclampsia evolved pregnancies: identification of a new early marker of the patholo…

Introduction: Preeclampsia is a life threatening disorder of pregnancy affecting about 2.5–3% of women and uterine artery Doppler ultrasound during the second trimester is nowadays the only useful screening test. Proteomic analysis allows to analyze the proteic profile of normal and affected subjects and to appreciate any difference in protein concentration or posttranslational modifications for new markers discovery. Materials & methods: Between April 2003 and August 2004, 446 women underwent amniocentesis in the II trimester of pregnancy for genetic prenatal diagnosis. 2ml of each AF sample were designated for…