The identification of elevated urinary kisspeptin-immunoreactivity during pregnancy

• Published in: Annals of clinical biochemistry 2015-05, Vol.52 (3), p.395-398
• Main Authors: Jayasena, Channa N, Comninos, Alexander N, Narayanaswamy, Shakunthala, Abbara, Ali, Nijher, Gurjinder MK, Cheema, Mansimran, Malik, Zainab, Ghatei, Mohammad A, Bloom, Stephen R, Dhillo, Waljit S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomarkers - urine; Female; Humans; Kisspeptins - urine; Pilot Projects; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Third - urine; Radioimmunoassay - methods
• ISSN: 0004-5632; 1758-1001
• DOI: 10.1177/0004563214551612

Background Kisspeptin is an arginine-phenylalanine amide peptide hormone critical for reproductive function. Kisspeptin is also abundantly expressed in the placenta, where it has an important physiological role in regulating placental invasion. Accordingly, plasma kisspeptin concentrations rise dramatically during normal pregnancy. However, lower plasma concentrations of kisspeptin are associated with obstetric complications such as pre-eclampsia. It is not currently known whether kisspeptin-immunoreactivity (IR) can be detected in bodily fluids not requiring invasive collection such as saliva or urine. Aim To determine the clinical utility of urinary and salivary kisspeptin measurement in healthy pregnant women. Methods Forty-nine healthy third trimester pregnant women (gestational age 34 ± 0.6 w) from a single maternity unit and 50 healthy non-pregnant women were recruited. Urine, saliva and blood were simultaneously collected from all volunteers. Kisspeptin concentrations were determined by in-house manual radioimmunoassay. Results Mean concentrations of plasma kisspeptin-IR were over 200-fold greater in third trimester pregnant women compared with non-pregnant women (13,783 ± 864 pmol/L, pregnant; 65 ± 13 pmol/L, non-pregnant; p