Ms Kelicia Reddy’s study that offers new insight into protein and gene markers as potential candidates to manage hypertensive disorders experienced by women during pregnancy earned her a Master of Medical Science in Physiology summa cum laude.
‘Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are serious complications that are of great concern worldwide. They are the leading cause of maternal and foetal deaths globally, with 95% occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs),’ said Reddy.
‘Subsets of HDPs such as early-onset preeclampsia and gestational hypertension present with similar symptoms of hypertension from the twentieth week of pregnancy,’ she added. ‘The distinguishing features of uteroplacental insufficiency, organ dysfunction, or proteinuria are characteristic features of preeclampsia.’
Supervised by Professor Irene Mackraj and completed in one year, Reddy’s study aimed to address the urgent need to identify markers of these disorders to promote easier identification and more accurate diagnosis, which will in turn allow for improved management of these HDP. Reddy noted that ‘Detection of circulating markers provides a more cost-effective diagnostic method, especially in LMCs like South Africa, where primary healthcare facilities have limited resources.’
Her study investigated five inflammatory gene signature markers, HLA-DRA, MAFF, MAPK1, MEF2A and RHOA as determined by previous NanoString analysis in early-onset preeclampsia and gestational hypertension. The findings revealed that HLA-DRA, MAFF and MEF2A could serve as candidate genetic markers of HDP, whereas MAPK1 could be a candidate differentiating marker between early-onset preeclampsia and gestational hypertension, following further validation.
‘The genetic appraisal from the markers discovered further warranted investigation into a protein marker and I explored the protein, PLAP to determine whether it could also serve as a protein marker of these pregnancy disorders. Our results demonstrated significantly elevated PLAP concentration levels in the early-onset preeclamptic group compared to the gestational hypertensive and normotensive groups,’ Reddy explained. She added that ‘since one should rely on isolated markers, the combination of the gene MAPK1 and protein, PLAP could potentially be used to distinguish early-onset preeclampsia from gestational hypertension.’ Further validation of these key factors is warranted in larger cohorts using different time frames.
Reddy said she has always been interested in medical studies. She completed her Bachelor of Medical Science (Physiology) cum laude in 2020, and her honours cum laude the following year. She added that she was thrilled to be accepted into UKZN’s MBChB in 2023. ‘As fulfilling as this master’s degree was, my true passion has always been Medicine. My Medical Science degrees have served as a solid foundation for Medicine, and I am really looking forward to completing this degree.
‘My experience at UKZN has been fulfilling and rewarding, and I am grateful to have been well supported by my supervisor Professor Irene Mackraj, co-supervisor Dr Nerolen Soobryan, and lecturers over the years,’ she said.
‘Kelicia’s intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills, perseverance, and attention to detail led to her success. Equally important was her time management skills, professionalism and collaborative skills. She is currently training to pursue a career in Medicine. This bodes well for a career as a clinician scientist in the future,’ observed Mackraj.
Words: Lunga Memela
Photograph: Abhi Indrarajan
