title: Deficiency of serum "pregnancy-associated" alpha 2-glycoprotein alpha 2-PAG): association with disease.
abstract: The serum concentrations of "pregnancy-associated" alpha 2-glycoprotein (alpha 2-PAG) were measured in 129 healthy women and 141 healthy men to establish a normal range, using a sensitive enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. In the normal population 2.8% of men and 5.4% of women had low serum alpha 2-PAG concentrations. Low concentrations occur, however, much more commonly in patients, particularly male patients, with certain diseases, including dermatitis herpetiformis (three of 12 or 25%) and urticaria (two of five or 40%). One female patient with absolute deficiency was also identified. In view of the recently confirmed association of alpha 2-PAG with IgA and the fact that alpha 2-PAG seems to have immunosuppressive properties, it seems likely that deficiency of alpha 2-PAG could result in the subject becoming sensitised to various dietary antigens. Interestingly, none of the 24 patients with IgA deficiency showed concomitant deficiency of alpha 2-PAG.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003874:Dermatitis Herpetiformis / Q000097:blood; D004406:Dysgammaglobulinemia / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017098:IgA Deficiency; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000172:deficiency*; D014581:Urticaria / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins