Does oxidative stress play a role in altered plasma protein homeostasis in pregnancy-induced hypertension?

Background: Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is associated with oxidative stress and low plasma proteins. Objectives: This study explored the effect of oxidative stress on plasma protein level in PIH. Methods: Serum total proteins (TP), albumin, globulin, malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls (PC) and protein bound sialic acid (PBSA) were measured in gestational hypertensive, pre-eclamptic, eclamptic and healthy pregnant women (n=20/group). Serum proteins were separated by electrophoresis for assessing protein damage. Results: Serum TP and albumin decreased and malondialdehyde, PC & PBSA increased significantly in all PIH subgroups as compared to healthy pregnant subjects. Serum globulin levels decreased only in eclampsia. Malondialdehyde and PC negatively correlated with albumin level. Protein fragmentation and aggregation in eclampsia were evident from electrophoretogram. Conclusion: We conclude that oxidative damages to proteins contribute to decreased serum protein levels in PIH and hypersialylation of plasma proteins is probably body's protective mechanism to combat oxidative protein damage in PIH.