PROBLEM: Serum concentrations of the heterodimeric glycoprotein inhibin-A (alpha-beta A) and its alpha-subunit increase during pregnancy. The placenta is the predominant source of inhibin during pregnancy, and a paracrine role in the trophoblast has been suggested. Elevated serum concentrations of inhibin alpha-subunit as well as the glycoprotein @entity1 @entity1465 have been described in preeclamptic pregnancy. The objectives of this investigation were to compare serum concentrations of inhibin-A and inhibin pro-alpha C in preeclamptic and normotensive pregnancy, and to examine the relationship of hCG and inhibin-A in those pregnancies. METHOD OF STUDY: A case-control design using 32 @entity1 with @entity1468 with a single fetus at 32-40 weeks of gestation and 34 gestation age-matched normotensive control subjects was used for this investigation. Solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to measure inhibin-A and inhibin pro-alpha C in sera. An immunoradiometric assay was used to measure intact hCG. RESULTS: Inhibin-A and inhibin pro-alpha C concentrations were significantly elevated in the sera of @entity1 with @entity1468 compared with those concentrations in normotensive control subjects (P < 0.05). A relationship of inhibin-A or pro-alpha C with severity of @entity1468 was not observed. There was a significant positive correlation of serum hCG with both inhibin-A and pro-alpha C (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Levels of inhibin-A and the subunit pro-alpha C are increased in pregnancies complicated by @entity1468 . These findings are potentially the effect of a paracrine role of inhibin-A in the development and proliferation of the trophoblast.

Inhibin-A and pro-alpha C are elevated in preeclamptic pregnancy and correlate with XXXX chorionic gonadotropin.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'human', 'patients'] @entity1468 :: ('MESH:D011225', 'Disease') :: ['preeclampsia'] @entity1465 :: ('93659', 'Gene') :: ['chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
