Summary
Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) is a macromolecular glycoprotein produced in increasing concentration as pregnancy advances. PAPP-A is not specific to pregnancy since measurable levels have been found in non-pregnant females and in males. In non-pregnant females, PAPP-A is probabely produced by the endometrium. The origin of PAPP-A in pregnant women is still controversial. In-vitro trophoblast and decidual explants both produce PAPP-A. So far, it is not known if the same applies to the in-vivo situation and to what extent these two tissues contribute to the circulating levels of PAPP-A.
This study compares the circulating concentrations of PAPP-A and β-hCG and progesterone in different pathological situations. In hydatidiform moles, β-hCG levels are very high demonstrating an intense trophoblastic activity, whereas PAPP-A levels remain in the normal range. With spontaneous abortions, β-hCG levels decline to very low values whereas PAPP-A continues to increase. These observations furnish indirect evidence for a major contribution to circulating PAPP-A levels by extratrophoblastic sites. Furthermore, PAPP-A levels decrease after administration of an antiprogesterone (RU486) either in-vivo or in-vitro. This is considered as a proof that PAPP-A levels in early pregnancy are progesterone dependent.
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Bischof, P., Schindler, A.M., Wyss, R. et al. Progesterone dependence and extratrophoblastic origin of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) in early pregnancy. Arch. Gynecol. 237, 109–116 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02133854
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02133854