Involvement of inflammation in normal pregnancy.

To study the role of inflammation throughout normal pregnancy and postpartum, 37 women with normal pregnancies, including normal neonatal outcome, participated. Blood and urine samples were collected from each woman at least six times during pregnancy and postpartum. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and urinary levels of a prostaglandin-F2α (PGF2α ) metabolite were measured.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) during normal pregnancy.

Background: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) is the main binder of IGFs in secretory endometrium and decidualized stromal endometrial cells and IGFBP-1 has been shown to modulate IGF bioactivities and influence fetal growth. To be able to evaluate IGFBP-1 values during pregnancy it is important to establish normal values in pregnant women.

Materials & Methods: We have studied IGFBP-1 concentrations in maternal plasma from 52 healthy women with normal singleton pregnancies.

A longitudinal study of plasma levels of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt1), placental growth factor (PlGF), sFlt1: PlGF ratio and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A) in normal pregnancy.

Objective: To describe plasma levels of angiogenic (PlGF, VEGF-A) and anti-angiogenic (sFlt1) factors as well as the sFlt1:PlGF ratio throughout normal pregnancy and postpartum.

Design: Longitudinal prospective study.

Setting: One outpatient antenatal clinic in Uppsala, Sweden.

Cisplatin binds human copper chaperone Atox1 and promotes unfolding in vitro.

Cisplatin (cisPt), Pt(NH(3))(2)Cl(2), is a cancer drug believed to kill cells via DNA binding and damage. Recent work has implied that the cellular copper (Cu) transport machinery may be involved in cisPt cell export and drug resistance. Normally, the Cu chaperone Atox1 binds Cu(I) via two cysteines and delivers the metal to metal-binding domains of ATP7B; the ATP7B domains then transfer the metal to the Golgi lumen for loading on cuproenzymes.

Pentraxin 3 values during normal pregnancy.

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an inflammatory molecule that has been reported to be a promising early biomarker for subsequent preeclampsia. The levels of PTX3 vary during pregnancy and it is thus a need to establish reference intervals during normal pregnancy. Repeated blood samples were collected from 52 healthy pregnant females.

Cystatin C and modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) estimated glomerular filtration rate differ during normal pregnancy.

Objective: To calculate normal values for estimation of the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for pregnant females. eGFR is used to monitor patients with suspected kidney disease and to optimize the dosage of drugs that are eliminated by the kidneys. Plasma creatinine and cystatin C are the two most widely used GFR markers.

F(2)-isoprostanes, tocopherols and normal pregnancy.

This study investigates oxidative stress and antioxidants in normal human pregnancy and post-partum period. Thirty-seven healthy women with normal pregnancies were included. Both urinary and serum samples were collected throughout the pregnancy and post-partum period.

Reference values for alpha1-acid glycoprotein, alpha1-antitrypsin, albumin, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, IgA, IgG and IgM during pregnancy.

The objective of this study was to establish reference intervals and decision limits for the interpretation of the acute phase proteins alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (orosomucoid), alpha(1)-antitrypsin, C-reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin and albumin, IgA, IgG and IgM during pregnancy by longitudinal sampling from 52 healthy women with normal pregnancies. Each woman was sampled in weeks 7-17; weeks 17-24; weeks 24-28; weeks 28-31; weeks 31-34; weeks 34-38 and predelivery (-14-0 days prior to delivery) and postpartum (>6 weeks after delivery). The 2.