Methods of diagnosing and treating complications of pregnancy

A method of treating or preventing a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder in a subject, said method comprising the step of administering to said subject a compound that increases the level of a growth factor capable of binding to soluble endoglin, wherein said administering is in an amount and for a time sufficient to treat or prevent said pregnancy related hypertensive disorder in said subject.

A method of treating or preventing a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject a compound that inhibits growth factor binding to a soluble endoglin polypeptide, wherein said administering is sufficient to treat or prevent said pregnancy related hypertensive disorder in said subject.

A method of treating or preventing a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder in a subject, said method comprising administering to said subject a compound capable of reducing soluble endoglin expression or biological activity, wherein said administering is sufficient to treat or prevent said pregnancy related hypertensive disorder in said subject.

An antibody or antigen-binding fragment thereof that specifically binds soluble endoglin.

A method of diagnosing a subject as having, or having a predisposition to, a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, said method comprising measuring the level of a soluble endoglin polypeptide in a sample from said subject.

A method of diagnosing a subject as having, or having a predisposition to, a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, said method comprising measuring the level of an endoglin nucleic acid molecule in a sample from said subject and comparing it to a reference, wherein an alteration in said levels compared to a reference diagnoses a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder or a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder.

A method of diagnosing a subject as having, or having a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, said method comprising determining the nucleic acid sequence of an endoglin gene in a sample from a subject and comparing it to a reference sequence, wherein an alteration in the subject's nucleic acid sequence that is an alteration that changes the expression level of the gene product in said subject diagnoses the subject with a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder or a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder.

A kit for the diagnosis of a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, or a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, in a subject comprising a nucleic acid molecule having an endoglin nucleic acid sequence or a sequence complementary thereto, or any combination thereof, and instructions for using said nucleic acid molecule to diagnose a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder or a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder.

A kit for the diagnosis of a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, or a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, in a subject comprising a soluble endoglin binding molecule and instructions for the use of said soluble endoglin binding molecule for the diagnosis of said pregnancy related hypertensive disorder, or a predisposition to a pregnancy related hypertensive disorder.