Preeclampsia is an important pregnancy disorder with serious maternal and fetal complications which its etiology has not been completely understood yet. Early diagnosis and management of disease could reduce its potential side effects. The
vascular endothelial growth factor (
VEGF) family including
VEGF-A is the most potent
endothelial growth factor which induces angiogenesis and endothelial cell proliferation and has basic role in vasculogenesis.
VEGF and its
tyrosine kinase receptors (Flt1 and KDR) are major factors for fetal and placental angiogenic development. Finding mechanisms involved in expression of angiogenic factors may lead to new prognostic and therapeutic points in management of
preeclampsia. Recent researches, has shown capability of some anti-angiogenic factors as potential candidate to be used as early predictors for
preeclampsia. Soluble fms-like tyrosin kinase-1 (sFlt1) is a truncated splice variant of the membrane-bound
VEGF receptor Flt1, that is produced by the placenta and it can bind to angiogenic
growth factors and neutraliz, their effects. It is also observed that the ratio of sFlt1 to placental
growth factor is valuable as prognostic marker. In this review,
VEGF family member's role in angiogenesis is evaluated as
biomarkers to be used for prediction of
preeclampsia.