Binding of the basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF] by soluble components of human umbilical cord

Pre-eclampsia, the most common pregnancy associated syndrome, is connected with remodelling of extracellular matrix of the umbilical cord tissues. Since the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) is known to be a stimulator of collagen and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis, one may expect that it plays an important role in such a remodelling. Studies performed on the umbilical cords of 10 control and 10 pre-eclamptic new­borns demonstrated that both the umbilical cord arterial wall and Wharton's jelly con­tain FGF mainly in complexes with the components of different molecular mass. Pre-eclampsia is associated with a decrease of endogenous FGF-binding by soluble high molecular mass components of the umbilical cord. It is suggested that FGF re­leased from these complexes may be actively bound by fibroblasts of the umbilical cord, stimulating them to produce collagen and sulphated glycosaminoglycans.