ISSN:
1471-0528
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Objective To investigate methionine metabolism during normal human embryonic development by measuring levels of methionine and total homocysteine in samples of maternal serum, extra-embryonic coelomic fluid, and amniotic fluid.Design Cross-sectional observational study.Setting Collaboration between St Bartholomew's Hospital, London, and the University Hospital of Nijmegen in The Netherlands.Participants Twenty-three women with uncomplicated pregnancies between 8 and 12 weeks of gestation before surgical termination of an ultrasonographically normal fetus.Methods Maternal serum samples were collected prior to surgery. Samples of extra-embryonic fluid and amniotic fluids were obtained by transvaginal ultrasound-guided coelocentesis and amniocentesis. Methionine was measured using an aminoacid analyser and total homocysteine by high performance liquid chromatography.Results Levels of methionine were four times higher in extra-embryonic coelomic fluid and twice as high in amniotic fluid compared with maternal serum. In contrast, the total homocysteine concentrations were much lower in both extra-embryonic coelomic fluid and amniotic fluid than in maternal serum. All differences were significant (P〈inlineGraphic alt="leqslant R: less-than-or-eq, slant" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:14700328:BJO20:les" location="les.gif"/〉 0.01).Conclusions The comparatively high concentrations of methionine in extra-embryonic coelomic fluid and amniotic fluid, and the concomitant low levels of total homocysteine in these fluids, suggest a role for methionine metabolism during early human pregnancy.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.1997.tb10642.x
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