Placental CoQ10 levels in HELLP syndrome

Abstract

Oxidative stress is considered a key factor in HELLP syndrome, a severe complication of preeclampsia in pregnancy. In the present study we analysed the content of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a fundamental component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and recognized lipophilic antioxidant, in placentas from women affected by HELLP syndrome and compared them with the relative controls. Twenty-eight patients with HELLP syndrome and twenty-eight age-matched healthy pregnant controls were enrolled. Two aliquots of placental tissue were taken immediately after delivery and placed into liquid nitrogen. Thawed samples were homogenised by Ultra-Turrax; total protein and CoQ 10 concentration were thereafter analysed. CoQ10 concentration was 0.162 ± 0.07 μg/mg protein in HELLP syndrome versus 0.87 ± 0.003 μg/mg protein in controls, the difference being highly significant. A positive correlation, within the placentas from HELLP, was found between the weight of the new-born and CoQ10/protein ratio. A significant positive correlation was also present between CoQ 10/protein ratio and Apgar at 1st and 5th minute as well as between CoQ10/protein ratio and the median cerebral artery pulsatility index. The increase in placental CoQ10 in this syndrome might derive from a compensatory mechanism in a situation of increased oxidative stress. © 2005 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.