title: Alpha-fetoprotein and hematopoietic growth factors in amniotic fluid.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a relationship exists between alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and hematopoietic growth factors in amniotic fluid.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one women at 15 weeks' gestation were included in the study. Gestational age was assessed by obtaining a reliable menstrual history and scanning. Amniocentesis was performed, and each woman subsequently delivered anatomically and chromosomally normal infants. The level of AFP was determined using a standard automated procedure. The concentrations of stem cell factor, interleukin 3, interleukin 6, erythropoietin, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were measured using a commercially available immunoassay. The relationships between AFP and the studied cytokines were evaluated using the Pearson linear correlation test. Significant correlations were studied further by linear and nonlinear regression to obtain the best predictive model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant correlation between AFP and stem cell factor (r =.47, P =.002). No significant correlations between AFP and the rest of the studied cytokines were found (r = -.07, r =.02, r = -.02, and r = -.11 for erythropoietin, G-CSF, interleukin 3, and interleukin 6, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alpha-fetoprotein is significantly correlated with stem cell factor in early pregnancy and might play a role in fetal hematopoiesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Puerto Real, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain. jbarthar@sego.es
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bartha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero-Carmona
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Comino-Delgado
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arce
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arrabal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000032:analysis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007377:Interleukin-3; D015850:Interleukin-6; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor