Preeclampsia and selected immunogenetic factors Our objective was to evaluate plasma levels of the eight most common antiphospholipid antibodies (antiphosphatidylserine, antiphosphatidylethanolamine, antiphosphatidylinositol, antiphosphatidylglycerol, antiphosphatidic acid, antiannexin V, anticardiolipin and anti 2-glycoprotein I antibodies) by ELISA method and selected inherited thrombophilia (F V- Leiden mutation, FII mutation G20210A, C677T and A1298C variants of the gene for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase-MTHFR) by DNA analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes using the real-time PCR in fifty-five women with preeclampsia in the period immediately before urgent termination of pregnancy. Fifty-five healthy women without preeclampsia was considered as a controll group. Entered data were examined using a non-parametric Wilcoxon's test, univariate analysis were perfomed using the Fisher's exact test and statistical dependence between variables was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. We demonstrated that women with preeclampsia had significantly higher levels of anticardiolipin antibodies in the isotope IgG (p <0.01) and IgM (p <0.01), elevated levels of antiphosphatidylserine antibodies in the isotope IgG(p <0.01) and antiethanolamine antibodies in the isotope IgM (p <0.01) when...

The Use of Thromboelastography in Evaluation of Coagulation in Females with Physiological or Pathological Pregnancy MUDr. Ferdinand Polák Abstract Introduction: The target of this study was to compare thromboelastography coagulation parameters in the following three groups: a) healthy pregnant women, b) healthy non-pregnant women and c) pregnant women with pathological pregnancy and also to compare it to reference limits for the common population. If appropriate, we would propose recommendations for new reference ranges for pregnant women in their third trimester. Materials and methods: Prospective observational study, comparing, by using thromboelastography, the blood samples of 60 healthy women in their third trimester of pregnancy (group GRAV) to the samples of the control group of 43 healthy non-pregnant fertile women (group NON-GRAV) and to the samples of 50 women with pathological pregnancy (preeclampsia, fetal death) in their third trimester (group PATOL). Selective percentiles were used to determine new reference limits. Results and conclusions: We found statistically significant differences between groups GRAV and NON-GRAV. Therefore, we established, based on our results, new thromboelastography reference limits for pregnant women. Coagulation changes during pathological pregnancy are less...

The Use of Thromboelastography in Evaluation of Coagulation in Females with Physiological or Pathological Pregnancy MUDr. Ferdinand Polák Abstract Introduction: The target of this study was to compare thromboelastography coagulation parameters in the following three groups: a) healthy pregnant women, b) healthy non-pregnant women and c) pregnant women with pathological pregnancy and also to compare it to reference limits for the common population. If appropriate, we would propose recommendations for new reference ranges for pregnant women in their third trimester. Materials and methods: Prospective observational study, comparing, by using thromboelastography, the blood samples of 60 healthy women in their third trimester of pregnancy (group GRAV) to the samples of the control group of 43 healthy non-pregnant fertile women (group NON-GRAV) and to the samples of 50 women with pathological pregnancy (preeclampsia, fetal death) in their third trimester (group PATOL). Selective percentiles were used to determine new reference limits. Results and conclusions: We found statistically significant differences between groups GRAV and NON-GRAV. Therefore, we established, based on our results, new thromboelastography reference limits for pregnant women. Coagulation changes during pathological pregnancy are less...

The aim of this thesis is to highlight the severity of sleep-disordered breathing at risk pregnancies, as these disorders have a high share on the occurrence of cardiovascular problems at a later age. In the group of high-risk pregnant patients, breathing disorders in sleep lead to higher morbidity of patient as well as newborns. Currently, there are increasing risk factors in the population of pregnant women. Risk factors for the development of OSAS, which are examined in detail in this thesis in pregnant women, include BMI, age, pregestational and gestational hypertension and diabetes mellitus. The theoretical part of the thesis contains the findings of the risk pregnancies. The most serious unit is preeclampsia. For that reason, the greatest attention within high- risk pregnancies is aimed to the incidency, ethiopathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of preeclampsia. Furthermore, the theoretical part includes findings related to sleep- disordered breathing and focuses on OSAS and its health complications. In the special part of the thesis, there is an assessment of results regarding risk pregnant women with the presence of OSAS and without present OSAS. Keywords Preeclampsia, hypertension, OSAS, pregnancy, risk factors

Heat shock proteins increase their gene expression after exposure of cells or organisms to some forms of stress, which may be high temperature, infection, inflammation, hypoxia, lack of nutrients and water. Stressful situations for the body are also pregnancy-related complications associated with placental insufficiency - preeclampsia and IUGR, as well as other pregnancy-related complications such as fetal growth restriction and gestational hypertension. Therefore, I examined whether the occurrence of pregnancy-related complications (preeclampsia, fetal growth retardation, gestational hypertension) affect the gene expression of heat shock proteins. Five hsp systems was detected, namely Hsp27, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90 and HspBP1 in placental tissue samples and whole maternal peripheral blood. Samples came from women with physiological pregnancy and from women with certain pregnancy-related complications (PE, FGR, GH). RNA was isolated from the samples. Detection of hsp expression was performed by using real-time RT-PCR and the comparative Ct method. Changes in gene expression between the test samples and reference sample were examined. To assess the difference between physiological pregnancies and pregnancies with selected pregnancy- related complications, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used....

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs of length 18 to 25 nucleotides that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally. Expression of some miRNAs is tissue specific. I assumed that pregnancy induced complications associated with placental insufficiency could be characterized by a unique profil of placental-specific miRNAs in maternal circulation. I measured concentration and gene expression of selected miRNAs (miR-516-5p, miR-517*, miR-518b, miR-520a*, miR-520h, miR-525 and miR-526a) in the plasma of patients with preeclampsia (PE), fetal growth restriction (FGR) and gestational hypertension (GH). The control group consisted of patients with a normal course of pregnancy (FG). I processed 168 plasma samples, the representation of individual diagnosis were as follows: PE 63, FGR 27, GH 23, FG 55. Detection and quantification was carried out by quantitative real-time PCR. I identified three miRNAs with elevated levels in a group of preeclamptic patients: miR-517*, miR-520a* and miR-525. The severity of the PE, which was characterized by a form of the disease (mild or severe PE) and term (before or after the 34th week of pregnancy), did not have a statistically significant effect on the levels of miRNAs. More than a quarter of patients had PE superimposed on previous hypertension. Previous history of...

The aim of this study was to investigate gene expression of cardiovascular miRNAs in peripheral blood of mothers after delivery. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, which significantly modulate posttranscriptional adjustments of mRNA and thus regulate gene expression across biological processess. Dysregulation of miRNAs is associated with many pathological phenomena, thanks that we can use them for diagnosis and potentionaly we can treat these diseases by the manipulation of miRNA gene expression. We examined gene expression of circulating miRNAs associated with cardiovascular diseases, and we investigated, how the expression profile depends on pregnancy course and manifestation of pregnancy-related complications. For this purpose we examined material from 221 mothers 3-10 years after delivery. A group with identical pregnancy-related complication was always compared with a group of mothers after physiological pregnancy. Gene expression of 29 cardiovascular miRNAs in peripheral blood was studied using reverse transcription and quantitative real-time PCR. It was confirmed, that the expression profile of miRNAs differed between pregnancy-related complications and physiological controls. We also confirmed, that the profile of gene expression discovered at mothers 3-10 years after delivery was different...

Children descending from pregnancy complicated by gestational hypertension, preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction have a lifelong increased risk of development of cardiovascular disease. This study investigates the expression profile of 29 cardiovascular and cerebrovascular microRNAs in children at the age of 3 to 11 years. MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNA molecules affecting gene expression by posttranscriptional modifications of mRNA, which affects biological processes. Abnormal microRNA levels can lead to pathological conditions of the individual. This study explores the relationship between dysregulated microRNA levels in whole peripheral venous blood of children and the presence of complications during pregnancy. Furthermore, this study looks at expression profile specificities depending on the presence of pathology in the child's cardiovascular system, as found in a clinical examination consisting of BMI assessment and evaluation, blood pressure testing and ultrasound examination of the heart. Dysregulated profile was present in children with gestational hypertension in miR-1-3p, miR-17-5p, miR-20a-5p, miR-21-5p, miR-26a-5p, miR-29a-3p, miR-126-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-181a-5p, miR-199a-5p, miR-342-3p and miR-499-5p. In children with preeclampsia, dysregulation was found with miR-1-3p and...

The aim of this study was to investigate gene expression of cardiovascular miRNAs in peripheral blood of mothers after delivery. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, which significantly modulate posttranscriptional adjustments of mRNA and thus regulate gene expression across biological processess. Dysregulation of miRNAs is associated with many pathological phenomena, thanks that we can use them for diagnosis and potentionaly we can treat these diseases by the manipulation of miRNA gene expression. We examined gene expression of circulating miRNAs associated with cardiovascular diseases, and we investigated, how the expression profile depends on pregnancy course and manifestation of pregnancy-related complications. For this purpose we examined material from 221 mothers 3-10 years after delivery. A group with identical pregnancy-related complication was always compared with a group of mothers after physiological pregnancy. Gene expression of 29 cardiovascular miRNAs in peripheral blood was studied using reverse transcription and quantitative real-time PCR. It was confirmed, that the expression profile of miRNAs differed between pregnancy-related complications and physiological controls. We also confirmed, that the profile of gene expression discovered at mothers 3-10 years after delivery was different...

Heat shock proteins (Hsp) are highly conserved proteins that are part of the universal stress response of the cell. Their main function is to protect cells against structural and functional damage. Organisms exposed to different forms of stress, such as e.g. a lack of nutrients or water, hypoxia, infection or inflammation, demonstrated an increased gene expression of these proteins. Pregnancy complications cause stress conditions for maternal and fetal organism, which may result in an increased gene expression of Hsp. In my thesis, I examined the concentration of extracellular mRNA for five different heat shock proteins (Hsp27, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90, HspBP1) in the plasma of pregnant women and wheather this concentration is affected by possible pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction and gestational hypertension). I also investigated a possible correlation between mRNA plasma concentration for Hsp and pulsatility index values (PI) obtained by Doppler ultrasound. This research should help to invent a new predictive method for pregnancy complications, based on a detection of specific biomarkers in the first trimester of pregnancy. The research was conducted on plasma samples obtained from peripheral blood of pregnant women, whose collection was performed during clinical manifestations of...