title: Inhibin A and pro-alpha C inhibin in Down syndrome and normal pregnancies.
abstract: Using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays specific for inhibin A and pro-alpha C inhibin, levels of the two proteins were assessed in maternal serum from 43 Down syndrome and 300 chromosomally normal pregnancies at 15-17 weeks' gestation. Compared to the control pregnancies, both inhibin A and pro-alpha C inhibin were significantly elevated in the Down syndrome pregnancies with median levels, expressed as multiples of the normal median, of 1.53 MoM and 1.34 MoM, respectively (P < 0.001 and P = 0.046 compared to controls). Levels of inhibin A and pro-alpha C inhibin were weakly but significantly correlated in both the control and the Down syndrome sera (r = 0.25, P < 0.0001; r = 0.4, P = 0.008, respectively). These data suggest that the mechanism(s) underlying the elevated inhibin levels observed in Down syndrome may affect the regulation of both the inhibin alpha- and beta A-subunits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: D'Antona
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shearing
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ashby
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Groome
mesh_terms: D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; C095971:inhibin-alpha subunit precursor; D007265:Inhibins