title: Amniotic fluid platelet factor 4 and beta-thromboglobulin.
abstract: Platelet activating factor (PAF), a powerful platelet activator, has been identified in human embryos and fetuses, and may induce fetal lung maturation. The potential effect of PAF on fetal platelets as indicated by release of beta-thromboglobulin (BTG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) has not been investigated. We measured BTG and PF4 in amniotic fluid from 78 genetic and 35 pulmonary maturity amniocenteses. BTG and PF4 were higher in the genetic amniocentesis samples (p < 0.001 in each case) than in the lung maturity samples. BTG and PF4 did not correlate with the pulmonary maturity parameters as measured by the lecithin to sphingomyelin ratio and phosphatidylglycerol concentration. Our findings suggest a fetal origin of BTG and PF4 in amniotic fluid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hutzel Hospital, Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dombrowski
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Isada
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Bottoms
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Mammen
mesh_terms: D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000175:diagnosis; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D005325:Fetal Organ Maturity; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols / Q000032:analysis; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000032:analysis; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D001620:beta-Thromboglobulin; D010978:Platelet Factor 4