Przejdź do treściResearchers measured 2,904 proteins in blood samples taken at about 12 weeks of pregnancy and found that low levels of isthmin-2 (ISM2) were the strongest protein signal associated with later preeclampsia or fetal growth restriction. The association was reproduced in two independent cohorts. Laboratory experiments with human trophoblast stem cells also showed that reducing ISM2 impaired the invasive behaviour needed for normal placental development, providing biological support for the clinical observation.
An orthopaedic surgeon reading research from other specialties should note the study design: this was observational research in pregnant women supplemented by laboratory experiments, not a trial of a new treatment. ISM2 may eventually contribute to earlier risk assessment or become a research target for prevention, but it is not yet a diagnostic test or an available therapy. The cohorts were predominantly from northern Europe, so the findings need confirmation in larger and more diverse populations.
Source: Miao R, Gong S, Sovio U, et al. Isthmin-2 is a first-trimester predictor of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Nature Medicine. Published online 1 September 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41591-026-04573-6. Verified 16 September 2026. Access: full open-access article and PubMed record; no correction or retraction was identified in the sources checked.
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Content prepared by: Tomasz Poboży - orthopaedic surgeon.