Serum fetuin-A/alpha2-HS-glycoprotein in human pregnancies with normal and restricted fetal growth.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate circulating concentrations of human fetuin-A (important fetal glycoprotein, involved in vascular pathology and bone metabolism) in mothers, fetuses and neonates from intrauterine-growth-restricted (IUGR, associated with low bone mass at birth and metabolic syndrome in adult life) and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) pregnancies.


METHODS
Serum fetuin-A concentrations were prospectively measured in 40 mothers, the doubly-clamped umbilical cords (representing fetal state) and their 20 IUGR and 20 AGA full-term neonates on postnatal day 1 (N1) and 4 (N4).


RESULTS
No significant differences in fetuin-A concentrations were observed between groups, or between maternal, fetal and neonatal samples in both groups. In the AGA group, maternal fetuin-A concentrations positively correlated with fetal and N1 ones (r = 0.599, p = 0.005 and r = 0.469, p = 0.037, respectively). In the IUGR group, maternal fetuin-A concentrations positively correlated with N4 ones (r = 0.541, p = 0.014).


CONCLUSIONS
Serum fetuin-A concentrations do not differ between IUGR cases and AGA controls. Maternal and fetal fetuin-A concentrations are similar and positively correlated, indicating the likelihood of passive transplacental transfer of this substance.
Briana
Despina D
DD
Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece.
Boutsikou
Maria
M
Gourgiotis
Demetrios
D
Boutsikou
Theodora
T
Baka
Stavroula
S
Marmarinos
Antonios
A
Hassiakos
Demetrios
D
Malamitsi-Puchner
Ariadne
A
D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000097:blood*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein
C556354:AHSG protein, human; D001798:Blood Proteins; D060749:alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein