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Poster Session 4

Category: Neonatology

Poster Session 4

(1160) Endothelial dysfunction and complement dysregulation in growth restricted fetuses in the absence of preeclampsia

Thursday, February 12, 2026

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Submitting Author and Presenting Author(s)

Lina Youssef, MD, PhD

Postdoctoral researcher
BCNatal – Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu), IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Coauthor(s)

MP

Marta Palomo

Hematopathology, Centre Diagnòstic Biomèdic (CDB), Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
AR

Alex Ramos

Hematopathology, Centre Diagnòstic Biomèdic (CDB), Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
MB

Maria Borrell

BCNatal – Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
KV

Killian Vellvé

BCNatal – Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
FC

Francesca Crovetto, MD, PhD

BCNatal – Fetal Medicine Research Center (Hospital Clínic and Hospital Sant Joan de Déu), Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
EG

Eduard Gratacós, MD, PhD

Hospital Clínic Barcelona
BARCELONA, Catalonia, Spain
MD

Maribel Diaz-Ricart

Hematopathology, Centre Diagnòstic Biomèdic (CDB), Hospital Clinic, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
FC

Fatima Crispi, MD, PhD

Hospital Clínic de Barcelona
BARCELONA, Catalonia, Spain

Objective:
To assess fetal endothelial biomarkers and complement system in fetal growth restriction (FGR) in the absence of preeclampsia.

Study Design:
We recruited 47 singleton pregnancies prospectively (15 cases of normotensive FGR and 32 controls). Soluble markers (sTNFR1, sVCAM-1, sICAM-1, sVWF, and terminal complement complex (sC5b-9)) were analyzed in fetal cord blood samples. Moreover, VCAM-1, ICAM-1, VWF, VE-Cadherin, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), radical oxygen species (ROS) and C5b-9 deposits were evaluated on cultured endothelial cells.

Results:
Increased sTNFR1 and sICAM-1 concentrations were observed in FGR fetuses compared to controls (2.7±0.5 vs. 1.5±0.3 ng/mL and 143.9±12.4 vs. 114.8±6.8 ng/mL respectively, p< 0.05) with similar results of sVCAM-1, sVWF and sC5b-9. Endothelial cells exposed to fetal sera showed significantly incremented expression of ICAM-1, VWF, and VE-Cadherin with similar expression of VCAM-1, eNOS and ROS in FGR compared to controls. Significantly less C5b-9 deposits on endothelial cells were induced by FGR fetal plasma vs. controls (fold change 0.16±0.11 vs. 0.48±0.13, p< 0.01).

Conclusion:
High concentrations of circulating endothelial adhesion molecules and low levels of C5b9 deposits on endothelial cells suggest endothelial damage and complement dysregulation in FGR fetuses. More research is warranted to study the impact of FGR on fetal vascular health and innate immunity.