title: Differential proteomics analysis of amniotic fluid in pregnancies of increased nuchal translucency with normal karyotype.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the functional roles of differentially expressed proteins in amniotic fluid supernatant (AFS) from normal karyotype pregnancies with increased nuchal translucency (NT).
  
  
  METHODS
  AFS from fetuses with increased NT (>3.4 mm, N = 14) and control (<0.7 mm, N = 14) were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and in-gel digestion to identify the difference of expressed proteins between both groups. Targeted proteins were confirmed by western blot and ELISA. The roles of biological networks in pathophysiology of NT were determined using MetaCore mapping.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of apolipoprotein-A1 (Entrez Gene ID 335), alpha-1 antitrypsin (SERPINA1, ID 5265) and prolactin (ID 5617) were significantly decreased in AFS of fetuses with increased NT compared with those in controls. According to Gene Ontology terms, biological processes of functional networks were mainly involved in steroid metabolism. On the basis of the database of MetaCore, these proteins are considered as the potential biomarkers of cardiovascular disorders. The prediction of tissue distribution from this network in fetal organs such as liver, skin, and kidney supported that these three proteins may play different roles between two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of using quantitative proteomics and functional network analysis could integrally analyze the pathophysiology of fetuses with increased NT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Linkou Medical Center, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Po-Jen
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Tzu-Hao
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shang-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chuan-Chi
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: Jen-Hao
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ching-Hwa
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: S W Steven
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods*; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins