Early Diagnosis and Prognosis of Pre-Eclampsia

1 . A process for the in vitro diagnosis or prognosis of pre-eclampsia, comprising:

a) measuring, in a sample of biological fluid originating from a pregnant woman, the concentration of one or more markers chosen from LIFR, TTR (transthyretin), ApoA2 and Pzp (A2M), preferably LIFR and/or TTR, alone or in combination with one or more other markers,

b) using the result of the measurement of step a) in the diagnosis or prognosis of pre-eclampsia, wherein a positive diagnosis or a positive prognosis is given by an increase or a decrease in the concentration of the marker(s) relative to the normal concentration of the marker(s) obtained in pregnant women.

2 . The process as claimed in claim 1 , said biological fluid is chosen from blood, plasma, serum, urine, saliva or amniotic fluid, preferably serum.

3 . The process as claimed in either one of claims 1 and 2 , said pregnant woman being at a gestation period of less than or equal to 20 weeks, preferably less than or equal to 16 weeks, preferably at a gestation period of between 7 weeks and 16 weeks.

4 . The process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 , said marker being in a circulating form (sLIFR, sTTR, sApoA2 and sPzp).

5 . The process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 , said one or more other markers being chosen from sENG, sFLT1, PIGF, PAPP-A, fetal hemoglobin and/or hemopexin.

6 . The process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 , comprising a step a′) of calculating one or more ratios of two markers and optionally calculating one or more ratios of two other markers, preferably calculating the LIFR/TTR, sFLT1/PIGF and/or sLIFR×sFLT1 ratio.

7 . The use of one or more markers in the in vitro evaluation of pre-eclampsia in a sample of biological fluid originating from a pregnant woman, wherein a positive diagnosis or a positive prognosis is given by an increase or a decrease in the concentration of the marker(s) relative to the normal concentration of the marker(s) obtained in pregnant women, said marker(s) being chosen from LIFR, TTR (transthyretin), ApoA2 and Pzp (A2M), preferably LIFR and/or TTR, alone or in combination with one or more other markers.

8 . The use of one or more antibodies directed against one or more markers in the in vitro evaluation of pre-eclampsia in a sample of biological fluid originating from a pregnant woman, wherein a positive diagnosis or a positive prognosis is given by an increase or a decrease in the concentration of the marker(s) relative to the normal concentration of the marker(s) obtained in pregnant women, said marker(s) being chosen from LIFR, TTR (transthyretin), ApoA2 and Pzp (A2M), preferably LIFR and/or TTR, alone or in combination with one or more other markers.

9 . The use as claimed in either one of claims 7 and 8 , said one or more other markers being chosen from sENG, sFLT1, PIGF, PAPP-A, fetal hemoglobin and/or hemopexin.

10 . A diagnosis or prognosis kit of use for carrying out the process as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6 .

11 . A method for treating pre-eclampsia in a pregnant woman, comprising:

(i) carrying out the process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 , and

(ii) when the diagnosis is positive or the prognosis is positive, introducing a suitable treatment for the pregnant woman.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 11 , said suitable treatment being one or more medicaments chosen from aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), magnesium sulfate, antihypertensives, corticosteroids, low molecular weight heparins, cholesterol regulators and oxidative stress regulators, preferably aspirin.