Circulating levels of inhibin A, inhibin B and activin A in normal and intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) fetuses.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the relationships between circulating levels of inhibin A, inhibin B and activin A, and sex, gestational age and gonadotropins in normal and pathological fetuses.


METHODS
The study included 31 normal fetuses and 12 affected with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of gestational age ranging 20-40 weeks.


RESULTS
No gender difference in inhibin A and activin A levels were observed. Inhibin B levels were significantly higher in males than in females (P < 0.05). Fetuses with the highest levels of inhibin A and B were found in the IUGR group that also showed activin A levels significantly higher than normal. No correlations were observed between inhibin A, inhibin B, activin A and both gonadotropins.


CONCLUSIONS
Plasma inhibin A, inhibin B and activin A are detectable in both genders during intrauterine life. The different gender pattern of inhibin B suggests that inhibin B may contribute to the assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal set-point at least in males.
Institute of Endocrine Sciences, Ospedale Maggiore IRCCS and Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Via Francesco Sforza, 35, 20122 Milano, Italy.
P S
PS
Morpurgo
I
I
Cetin
S
S
Borgato
D
D
Cortelazzi
M S
MS
Nobile-Desantis
I
I
Vaghi
P
P
Beck-Peccoz
D028341:Activins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005865:Gestational Age; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits / Q000097:blood*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
D006062:Gonadotropins; C422405:activin A; C422362:inhibin A; C422364:inhibin B; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D028322:Inhibin-beta Subunits