[Concentrations of pro-hepcidin in serum of pregnant women and in umbilical cord blood].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to detect the presence of pro-hepcidin in the serum of pregnant women and in umbilical cord blood. Additionally, correlations between pro-hepcidin and other iron parameters were analyzed.


METHODS
Our study consisted of 32 healthy, pregnant women, patients of Clinical Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Mother and Child (IMC). Serum concentrations of pro-hepcidin were determined with the use of immunoenzymathic method, levels of ferritin and transferrin with immunoturbidimetric method and iron with photometric test. Hemoglobin and hematocrite were determined on hematological analyzer Pentra 60. The study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry IMC.


RESULTS
The mean concentration of pro-hepcidin in the serum of pregnant women was 102.0+/-30.7 ng/ml and ranged from 51.5 to 187.1 ng/ml. Level of pro-hepcidin in the serum of the umbilical cord blood was 77.05+/-21.2 ng/ml (range: 41.9-125.9 ng/ml), which amounted up to about 75% of that found in mothers, thus making the differences were statistically significant (p<0.01). We observed a positive correlation between concentrations of that prohormone in the serum of mothers and cord blood (r=0.60; p<0.01). Our analysis revealed no correlations between the serum pro-hepcidin levels and other studied parameters of iron status, both in the mothers and children groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that concentrations of pro-hepcidin are detectable in the serum of mothers, as well as in the umbilical cord blood, and positively correlate with each other. No anemia or subclinical iron deficiency that could explain no correlation with others parameters of iron status was observed.
Chełchowska
Magdalena
M
Zakład Badań Przesiewowych Instytutu Matki i Dziecka. mchelchowska@yahoo.com
Swiatek
Ewa
E
Ambroszkiewicz
Jadwiga
J
Gajewska
Joanna
J
Laskowska-Klita
Teresa
T
Leibschang
Jerzy
J
D000328:Adult; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D064451:Hepcidins; D006801:Humans; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values; D047929:Term Birth / Q000097:blood*; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D064451:Hepcidins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins