Transplacental transport of α2-macroglobulin (α2M) and induction of α2M in maternal and neonatal rats with acute inflammation

Abstract

The aims of this study were to investigate transplacental transport of α2-macroglobulin (α2M) in rats and to examine the degree of α2M induction in maternal and neonatal rats with acute inflammation. Serum was collected from healthy pregnant CD (IGS) rats, neonates of the pregnant rats and their cord blood. Additional serum samples were obtained from pregnant rats inoculated with an inflammatory agent, turpentine oil, their neonates and cord blood, and neonates inoculated with turpentine oil. The serum levels of α2M were measured by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The average serum levels of α2M in healthy neonates and cord blood were about 380 μg/ml. Serum a2M level in neonates inoculated with turpentine oil averaged about 580 μg/ml. Serum α2M levels in maternal rats inoculated with turpentine oil, neonates from those rats and their cord blood were elevated, the values being 2,000 μg/ml or higher. It was demonstrated that induction of α2M in neonatal rats was lower than in maternal rats when inoculated with turpentine oil. These results suggest that α2M is transplacentally transported from maternal rats to fetal ones.