Cysteinylation of maternal plasma albumin and its association with intrauterine growth restriction.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated cysteinylation of maternal plasma albumin in an observational study of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). High-risk pregnancies and uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI) have been associated with elevated levels of homocysteine, and, in oxidizing environments, homocysteine is converted to cysteine, resulting in cysteinylation of proteins.


METHODS
The study population included pregnancies with IUGR (n = 12) and uncomplicated pregnancies as controls (n = 8). In all cases, cysteinylation of maternal plasma albumin was measured in a blinded fashion using liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.


RESULTS
Markedly elevated maternal plasma levels of cysteinylated albumin were detected in pregnancies with IUGR (44.7 +/- 14.8% of total albumin) compared to those in normal pregnancies (20.9 +/- 6.1%). As a result, native albumin decreased from 52.5 +/- 6.5% of total albumin in normal pregnancies to 30.1 +/- 13.3% in IUGR pregnancies.


CONCLUSIONS
We hypothesize that sustained oxidative stress present in UPI is reflected by high levels of maternal cysteinylated albumin and may be a factor in the etiology of IUGR. Results of this preliminary study suggest that measurement of maternal plasma cysteinylated albumin may be useful for monitoring pregnancies associated with UPI and for detection of IUGR.
Bar-Or
David
D
Swedish Medical Center, Trauma Research Department, Englewood, CO 80113, USA. dbaror@dmibio.com
Heyborne
Kent D
KD
Bar-Or
Raphael
R
Rael
Leonard T
LT
Winkler
James V
JV
Navot
Daniel
D
D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010927:Placental Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin
D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D012709:Serum Albumin; D003545:Cysteine; D000093423:Glycated Serum Albumin