Calcium-ATPase activity of red blood cell ghosts from preeclamptic women, antepartum and postpartum.
OBJECTIVE
We determined the calcium activated adenosine triphosphatase (Ca-ATPase) activity and level of lipid peroxidation thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) of red blood cell ghosts in the antepartum and postpartum of normotensive and preeclamptic pregnant women.


METHODS
Samples of venous blood were obtained by venipuncture of nulliparous normotensive and preeclamptic pregnant women antepartum and two, four, six, and 20 weeks postpartum. The red blood cell ghosts were prepared and assayed for Ca-ATPase activity and TBARS.


METHODS
We expected to find a return to normal values of both Ca-ATPase activity and TBARS level of the red blood cell ghosts, modified in the preeclamptic pregnant women, during their puerperium.


RESULTS
The Ca-ATPase activity of red cell ghosts from preeclamptic women, antepartum, is lower than that of normotensive pregnant women. The ATPase activity returns to normal values during the first six weeks of postpartum. The level of TBARS of red cell ghosts from preeclamptic women follows a pattern that is inversely proportional to the one of the Ca-ATPase activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Preeclampsia produces a significant diminution of the Ca-ATPase activity and an increase in the levels of TBARS in the erythrocytes. As soon as all the symptoms of preeclampsia disappear in the postpartum, both Ca-ATPase activity and TBARS return to normal values.
Centro de Biofísica y Bioquímica, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas, Venezuela.
Thairis T
TT
López
Flor
F
Limongi
Teresa
T
Proverbio
Néstor J
NJ
Oviedo
Fulgencio
F
Proverbio
Reinaldo
R
Marín
D000328:Adult; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D000252:Calcium-Transporting ATPases