LGALS13 and preeclampsia: Accordingly, it was concluded that there is a decreased GCM1-mediated trophoblast fusion and trophoblastic gene expression in severe preterm preeclampsia that leads to the down-regulation of LGALS13. Furthermore, the differential methylation of LGALS13 was also found in the villous trophoblast in preterm preeclampsia, which may interfere with LGALS13 expression, suggesting that potential additional disease-mechanisms may account for the trophoblastic pathology in preterm preeclampsia (45).