title: Relationship between maternal and fetal corticotrophin-releasing hormone-41 and ACTH levels in human mid-trimester pregnancy.
abstract: Samples of maternal blood, amniotic fluid and umbilical arterial and venous blood were collected from 11 women at 16-24 weeks of pregnancy. Corticotrophin-releasing hormone-41 (CRH-41) and ACTH were measured by immunoradiometric assay. The mean levels of ACTH were 11 pmol/l in maternal plasma, 12 pmol/l in fetal plasma and 9.7 pmol/l in amniotic fluid. The mean levels of CRH-41 were 1.6 pmol/l in maternal plasma and 0.7 pmol/l in fetal plasma. There was a positive correlation between maternal and fetal plasma CRH-41 and between maternal CRH-41 and ACTH. In fetal plasma there was a weak inverse correlation between CRH-41 and ACTH. This is the first demonstration of CRH-41 in the circulation of the mid-trimester human fetus, but on the basis of the present findings it is not possible to specify the exact source (fetal, placental or maternal).
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Physiology, St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, West Smithfield, London.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Economides
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Linton
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rodeck
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chard
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000502:physiology*; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone