The pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and insulin-like growth factor system in response to cigarette smoking.
OBJECTIVE
Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with a reduction in birth size but the mechanism by which this occurs still remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of tobacco smoking on concentrations of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), II (IGF-II) and binding proteins BP-3 and BP-4 in pregnant women and correlations between these parameters.


METHODS
Sixty healthy pregnant women were divided into smoking and tobacco-abstinent group according to results of serum cotinine concentration. The current smokers were defined as those who had smoked five or more cigarettes per day during pregnancy.


RESULTS
The mean serum concentrations of PAPP-A, IGF-I and IGF-II were significantly lower in smoking than in non-smoking pregnant women (p < 0.01). The level of PAPP-A correlated positively with the IGF-II concentration in both studied group (non-smoking: r = 0.54; p < 0.001; smoking: r = 0.40; p < 0.05). In tobacco-abstinent group negative correlation between IGF-II and IGFBP-4 concentrations was found (r = -0.35; p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Tobacco smoking during pregnancy decreases the pregnancy-associated plasma protein A and insulin growth factors I and II levels. The correlation between PAPP-A and IGF-II may suggest function of this protein as a protease and regulator in the IGF system.
Screening Department, Warsaw Medical University, Warsaw, Poland. mchelchowska@yahoo.com
Magdalena
M
Chelchowska
Tomasz
T
Maciejewski
Joanna
J
Gajewska
Jadwiga
J
Ambroszkiewicz
Teresa
T
Laskowska-Klita
Jerzy
J
Leibschang
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D018974:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 4 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D018972:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3; D018974:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 4; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II; D011266:Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein-A; D003367:Cotinine