Maternal serum ADAM12 levels correlate with PAPP-A levels during the first trimester.
BACKGROUND
We wished to investigate the correlation between a new Down screening marker ADAM12 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase-12) and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) and free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (fbeta-hCG) during the first trimester of pregnancy.


METHODS
ADAM12, PAPP-A and fbeta-hCG were measured in 225 serum samples of randomly chosen pregnancies with completely normal outcome. The samples were taken between pregnancy weeks 9+0 and 12+6.


RESULTS
The ADAM12 levels tended to increase with advanced gestational age and the highest levels were detected at pregnancy week 12. The ADAM12 levels correlated with PAPP-A levels. After weight correction and logarithmic transformation the multiples of median (MoM) of ADAM12 still correlated with the MoMs of PAPP-A and also with the MoMs of fbeta-hCG. Smokers had lower ADAM12 levels than non-smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
The secretion of ADAM12 seems to resemble the secretion of PAPP-A in the end of the first trimester. Accordingly ADAM12 appears not to be a separate marker independent of PAPP-A. It remains to be assessed whether adding ADAM12 in Down screening risk calculation will reduce the false positive rate during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Valinen
Yrtti
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland.
Peuhkurinen
Sini
S
Järvelä
Ilkka Y
IY
Laitinen
Päivi
P
Ryynanen
Markku
M
D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D000072199:ADAM12 Protein; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000378:metabolism*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051722:ADAM Proteins; D000072199:ADAM12 Protein; C000606480:ADAM12 protein, human; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A