Platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase activity in maternal and umbilical venous plasma obtained from normotensive and hypertensive pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
To elucidate whether plasma platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase activities in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension and in their fetuses are different from those in normotensive mothers and fetuses.


METHODS
We measured platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase activity in the plasma of 11 normotensive nonpregnant women, 39 normotensive pregnant women, 30 pregnant women with pregnancy-induced hypertension, 31 fetuses delivered from normotensive pregnant women, and 12 fetuses delivered from women with pregnancy-induced hypertension.


RESULTS
Plasma platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase activity in normotensive pregnant women at 28-31 weeks' gestation was significantly lower than that in normotensive nonpregnant women (P < .001). In contrast, in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension at 28-31 weeks' gestation, the activity of this enzyme was significantly higher than that in gestational age-matched, normotensive pregnant women (P < .01). Platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase activity in the umbilical venous plasma of fetuses delivered from women with pregnancy-induced hypertension at 37-40 weeks' gestation was significantly higher than that in the gestational age-matched term fetuses of normotensive mothers (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that the hydrolysis of platelet-activating factor is decreased during a normal pregnancy and that such modulation does not occur in pregnant women with pregnancy-induced hypertension or in their fetuses.
Kobayashi
F
F
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Faculty of Medicine, Japan.
Sagawa
N
N
Ihara
Y
Y
Kitagawa
K
K
Yano
J
J
Mori
T
T
D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D006973:Hypertension / Q000201:enzymology*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000097:blood*; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000201:enzymology*
D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D010741:Phospholipases A; D043203:1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase