title: Plasma proteinase inhibitory activity in ectopic and molar pregnancy.
abstract: Antitryptic, antichymotryptic and alpha 2- macroglobulin activities were measured in sera of normal nonpregnant and normal pregnant women and women with tubal ectopic pregnancy and molar pregnancies in the first 5 to 7 weeks of pregnancy calculated from the last menstrual period. While alpha 2-macroglobulin decreased in early normal pregnancy compared to nonpregnant state (p<0.001), in ectopic and molar pregnancies there was an increase in alpha 2- macroglobulin activity (p < 0.001), as compared to nonpregnant and normal pregnant women. Antitryptic activity did not increase in normal and ectopic pregnancy, however was increased in molar pregnancy (p < 0.01). Antichymotryptic activities did not show a change either in normal pregnancy or in cases of ectopic and molar pregnancy. Drop in alpha 2- macroglobulin activity to near normal levels in ectopic, 6 weeks post surgery, correlated well with the decrease in β-hCG. However, in molar pregnancy, alpha 2- macroglobulin remained elevated even when the β-hCG levels in serum returned to zero 10 weeks after surgery. The studies suggest a major role for circulating proteinase inhibitors especially alpha 2-macroglobulin in regulating proteinase activity in normal, ectopic and molar pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal, India.
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Arun Kumar
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nalini
keywords: Alpha 2 - macroglobulin; Antichymotryptic; Antitryptic; Ectopic; Molar