Preeclampsia and calcium-ATPase activity of red cell ghosts from neonatal and maternal blood.

Objective: Determination of Ca-ATPase activity and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) of red cell ghosts from neonatal and maternal blood of normotensive and preeclamptic women.

Methods: Venous blood was obtained by venipuncture of six nulliparous normotensive and six preeclamptic pregnant women. After cesarean delivery, blood samples were obtained from the umbilical cord of the same patients. Red blood cell ghosts were prepared and assayed for Ca-ATPase activity and TBARS.

Main Outcome Measure(s): We expected to find a higher level of TBARS, and consequently, a lower activity of the Ca-ATPase activity of the neonatal samples from preeclamptic mothers.

Results: The preeclamptic condition produces a significant diminution of the Ca-ATPase activity in both maternal and neonatal red blood cell ghosts (p<0.001 in both cases). The TBARS of the red cell ghosts are significantly increased with preeclampsia in mothers and their neonates (p<0.001 and p<0.005, respectively). The Ca-ATPase activity of red cell ghosts from neonatal blood is significantly lower than the corresponding values of red cell ghosts from both normotensive and preeclamptic women (p<0.001 in both cases).

Conclusions: Preeclamptic mothers and their neonates show a diminished Ca-ATPase activity and an increased level of TBARS in their red blood cell ghosts.