INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the potential diagnostic value of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced proteins, namely heat shock protein A5 (HSPA5) (also known as GRP78) and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), in maternal serum for identifying patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).
METHODS: A prospective case-control study was conducted with 37 pregnant women diagnosed with ICP and 36 healthy pregnant controls. Serum HSPA5 and CHOP levels were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits.
RESULTS: While HSPA5 and CHOP levels were higher in the ICP group compared to the control group, the differences were not statistically significant (p-values of 0.164 and 0.310, respectively).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The findings of this investigation did not yield sufficient evidence to validate the use of serum HSPA5 and CHOP levels for diagnosing ICP. Further research with larger sample sizes and exploration of placental tissue levels are warranted.
Keywords: CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) homologous protein (CHOP), endoplasmic reticulum (ER), glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78, BIP, HSPA5), intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).