Placental protein 13 as a first trimester screening marker for aneuploidy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether Placental Protein 13 (PP13) could be an additional marker in first trimester screening for aneuploidies.


METHODS
To evaluate differences in multiples of the gestation-specific normal median (MoMs), PP13 concentrations were measured in serum samples from Down syndrome, trisomy 18 and 13 affected pregnancies and euploid singleton pregnancies (four for each case matched for duration of storage, maternal weight and age).


RESULTS
The PP13 MoM in Down syndrome cases (n = 153) was 0.91 [not statistically significant from controls (n = 853); P = 0.06; Wilcoxon rank sum test, two-tail]. PP13 MoMs were decreased in trisomy 18 (n = 38-median MoM 0.64; P < 0.0001) and trisomy 13 cases (n = 23-median MoM 0.46; P < 0.0001). There was a slight upward trend in MoM values of the Down syndrome cases with gestational weeks. The PP13 MoM was significantly correlated with the pregnancy associated plasma protein-A MoM and the free beta-subunit of human chorion gonadotrophin (fbeta-hCG) MoM.


CONCLUSIONS
PP13 does not seem to be a good marker for Down syndrome. PP13 MoMs are, however, significantly lower in trisomy 18 and 13 pregnancies. The addition of PP13 to the current screening test could be valuable for improving the discrimination of aneuploid from euploid pregnancies.
Laboratory for Infectious Diseases and Screening, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. wendy.koster@rivm.nl
M P H
MP
Koster
E J
EJ
Wortelboer
H S
HS
Cuckle
Ph
P
Stoutenbeek
G H A
GH
Visser
P C J I
PC
Schielen
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13; D002887:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 18; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D037161:Galectins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014314:Trisomy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D037161:Galectins; C038195:LGALS13 protein, human; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins