title: S100B protein maternal and fetal bloodstreams gradient in healthy and small for gestational age pregnancies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain S100B assessment in maternal blood has been proposed as a useful tool for early perinatal brain damage detection. Among potential confounding factors the possibility of a protein gradient between maternal and fetal bloodstreams under pathophysiological conditions is consistent. The present study investigates in healthy and small gestational age fetuses (SGA) whether S100B concentrations differ among fetal and maternal bloodstreams.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control study in 160 pregnancies (SGA: n=80; healthy: n=80), in which standard monitoring parameters were recorded. S100B was assessed in arterial cord and in maternal blood samples at birth. Eighty non pregnant women (NP), matched for age at sampling, served as controls (1 SGA vs. 1 healthy vs. 1 NP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fetal S100B in SGA and healthy groups was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that detected in the maternal district and in NP women groups, respectively. No differences in protein's gradient between fetal and maternal bloodstreams (P>0.05) were observed between groups. No differences (P>0.05) in fetal S100B have been found between the studied groups. Maternal S100B of SGA and healthy groups was significantly higher (P<0.01) than that detected in NP women. No differences in maternal S100B concentrations (P>0.05) were observed between SGA and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study shows that S100B is pregnancy-dependent with the presence of a protein's gradient between fetal and maternal bloodstreams. The present data suggests that non-invasive fetal brain monitoring is becoming possible in opening a new cue on further investigations on S100B fetal/maternal gradient changes under pathological conditions.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Neonatology Obstetrics and Neuroscience, G. Gaslini Children's University Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sannia
authors.forename: Luc J I
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Antonio W D
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Gavilanes
authors.forename: Hans J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Vles
authors.forename: Laura D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Serpero
authors.forename: Rosanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frulio
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Michetti
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gazzolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000097:blood*; D008423:Maternal Age; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; C579160:S100B protein, human