title: Elevation of amniotic fluid macrophage colony-stimulating factor in normotensive pregnancies that delivered small-for-gestational-age infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) promotes placental growth and maintenance. We evaluated whether amniotic fluid M-CSF levels were altered in normotensive pregnancies that produced small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants arising from unknown factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study enrolled 68 Japanese women experiencing normotensive pregnancies with single fetuses. Of these pregnancies, 22 delivered SGA infants arising from unknown factors (SGA group); one delivered an SGA infant with intestinal obstruction. The other 45 were women who delivered appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants (AGA group). They were selected as controls. Amniotic fluid was collected and the M-CSF levels were compared between the two groups. The M-CSF level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amniotic fluid M-CSF concentrations were 6525 pg/mL (median) in the SGA group and 4790 pg/mL in the AGA group; the concentrations were significantly higher in the SGA group than in the AGA group. The M-CSF concentrations in the woman who delivered an SGA infant with intestinal obstruction showed very high values (24290 pg/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated a significant increase in amniotic fluid M-CSF levels in the SGA group. Excessive concentrations of M-CSF in amniotic fluid via amniotic membranes may be highly related to immunological abnormalities contributing to low birth weight of neonates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, International University of health and Welfare Atami Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan. mhayashi@lilac.plala.or.jp
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sagesaka
authors.forename: Ichio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fukasawa
authors.forename: Noriyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inaba
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D007564:Japan; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor