Gonadotropins, prolactin, inhibin A, inhibin B, and activin A in human fetal serum from midpregnancy and term pregnancy.
Using specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays we measured inhibin A, inhibin B, and activin A in relation to LH, FSH, and PRL in normal human fetal midpregnancy serum obtained by in utero cord venipuncture (n = 25) and compared these results to those in fetal serum from term pregnancies (n = 23). We also tested serum from fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation (n = 6) or trisomy 21 (n = 6). We found no measurable inhibin A, except in three midpregnancy males (3 of 14). Inhibin B, however, was detected in midpregnancy male fetuses (167+/-67 pg/mL) and was higher than that in females (16+/-12 pg/mL). It was present in male term fetuses (125+/-32 pg/mL), but not in females. The activin A levels did not significantly differ between term and midpregnancy males and females. LH and FSH were detected in midpregnancy male fetuses (4.4+/-3.3 and 0.77+/-0.49 mIU/mL, respectively), with higher levels in females (33.0+/-23.2 and 54.4+/-27.7 mIU/mL, respectively), and were suppressed at term. PRL did not exhibit sexual difference, but showed a higher level at term (322.4+/-113.8 ng/mL) than at midpregnancy (33.0+/-26.1 ng/mL). Comparison of inhibin B with FSH levels showed correlation coefficients of -0.565 at midpregnancy vs. +0.445 at term. Serum from fetuses with intrauterine growth retardation or trisomy 21 did not show any different hormonal profiles. These data suggest that inhibin B is probably an additional factor in FSH inhibition at midpregnancy, whereas activin A is not associated with any change in the different studied populations. We speculate that inhibin A could be a method to detect maternal blood contamination in cord venipuncture.
Debieve
F
F
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. debieve@obst.ucl.ac.be
Beerlandt
S
S
Hubinont
C
C
Thomas
K
K
D028341:Activins; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D005865:Gestational Age; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood
D006062:Gonadotropins; D006728:Hormones; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D011388:Prolactin; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone