Change of Plasma Adrenomedullin and Expression of Adrenomedullin and its Receptor in Villus of Normal Early Pregnancy

Objective To study the role of adrenomedullin (ADM) in normal early pregnancy. Method Plasma concentrations of ADM were measured in 30 normal early pregnancy and 30 non-pregnant women (control group) by radioimmunoassay. The expression of ADM, ADM mRNA and ADMR mRNA in villi of normal early pregnancy were determined by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization respectively. Results The Plasma concentration of ADM in normal early pregnancy was significantly higher than that of control group (22.735 + 2.382 ng/l vs. 15.800 + 3.142 ng/l, P < 0.05). The expressions of ADM, ADM mRNA and ADMR mRNA in villi of normal early pregnancy were found in the cytoplasm and cell membrane of the syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast. Conclusion During human normal early pregnancy, plasma ADM was involved in the regulation of maternal homeostasis, and villus ADM might contribute to trophoblasts invasion and vasculogenesis.