title: Maternal blood serum and plasma human tumor-associated antigen RCAS1 during the course of uncomplicated pregnancies: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  we aimed to investigate the expression of the tumor-associated RCAS1 protein in maternal blood of uncomplicated pregnancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  maternal blood was obtained from women with uncomplicated pregnancies (N = 43) at 11-13, 20-22, 32-34, 37-38 weeks of gestation, and immediately after delivery. Serum RCAS1 concentration was studied by ELISA, and plasma mRNA was subjected to real-time (RT)-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  serum RCAS1 protein concentration was significantly up-regulated at 11-13 and 20-22 weeks than that at 32-34 weeks and after delivery. RCAS1 mRNA level was significantly increased at 11-13 weeks than that at 37-38 weeks. A significant positive correlation was defined between RCAS1 serum concentration at 11-13 weeks and gestational age at delivery and that between plasma RCAS1 mRNA levels at 37-38 weeks and umbilical cord blood base excess. A significant negative correlation was found between RCAS1 serum concentration at 37-38 weeks and umbilical cord blood pH at delivery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RCAS1 protein might have importance in the development of uncomplicated pregnancies and for the prediction of pregnancy outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita City, Osaka, Japan. ekaterinet@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ekaterine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tskitishvili
authors.forename: Namuxila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharentuya
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsubouchi
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kinugasa-Taniguchi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanagawa
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimoya
authors.forename: Takuji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomimatsu
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D010929:Placentation / Q000235:genetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D015415:Biomarkers; C120762:EBAG9 protein, human