title: Amniotic fluid levels of S100B protein in normal and trisomy-21 foetuses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The human chromosome 21 has been shown to contain the gene for the beta subunit of the S100B protein. The present case-control study was aimed at investigating whether overproduction of S100B protein is detectable in the amniotic fluid of foetuses with trisomy-21.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements of S100B in amniotic fluid samples from 14 pregnant women with trisomy-21 foetuses were compared with those obtained from 182 physiological pregnancies. S100B was measured in the samples using an immunoluminometric assay (LIA-mat Sangtec 100).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that S100B protein amniotic fluid levels were significantly higher in trisomy-21 foetuses (0.83+/-0.21 microg/l) than in controls (0.51+/-0.22 microg/l) (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present finding supports the notion that the expression of S100B is increased in trisomy-21 foetuses; it also constitutes a prerequisite basis for a possible involvement of the protein in pathogenic processes associated with trisomy-21, and/or for its potential employment as a diagnostic tool.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Giannina Gaslini Children's University Hospital, I-16147 Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gazzolo
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bruschettini
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Corvino
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lituania
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarli
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruschettini
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Michetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002891:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 21 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; C579160:S100B protein, human