Distinct contributions of two choline-producing enzymatic activities to lysophosphatidic acid production in human amniotic fluid from pregnant women in the second trimester and after parturition

Adult stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into several different cell types, although their differentiation potential is limited compared with that of embryonic stem cells. Thus, adult stem cells are regarded as an exciting source for new cell therapies. Recent observations also indicate that stem cells derived from second-trimester amniocentesis are pluripotent – capable of differentiating into multiple lineages, including representatives of all 3 embryonic germ layers. In addition, amniotic fluid stem cells can be used in the generation of disease- or patient-specific stem cells, and amniotic fluid stem cells could be an ideal source for autologous cell replacement therapy in the later life of the fetus. The aim of the present study was to investigate isolation and characterisation of human amniotic fluid-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAFS). We successfully isolated and characterised hAFS. Amniotic fluid samples were collected in the second trimester (median gestational age: 16 weeks, range: 15–17 weeks) for prenatal diagnosis. Specimens (2 mL) were centrifuged and incubated in low-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS, 25 ng of basic fibroblast growth factor, and 10 ng of epidermal growth factor at 37°C with 5% CO2. Human amniotic fluid cell (passage 6) expression of stem cell specific markers OCT-4, SOX2, Rex1, FGF4, and NANOG was confirmed by RT-PCR. Flow cytometric analysis showed that hAFS (passage 10) were positive for CD44, CD29, CD146, STRO1, and CD90 but negative for CD19. Immunocytochemical analysis of hAFS (passage 11) also showed the expression of OCT-4, SSEA-1, CD44, CD29, CD146, STRO1, and CD90, but hAFS were negative for CD19 and CD14. In conclusion, according to the previous studies on other mammalians, hAFS are an appropriate source of pluripotent stem cells. Here, we demonstrated that hAFS have a high expression of stem cell specific marker, including embryonic stem cell marker and mesenchymal stem cell marker. Therefore, amniotic fluid may be a suitable alternative source of multipotent stem cells.

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Estimation of Renin Activity in Human Amniotic Fluid of Normal and Toxemic Pregnant Women

The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine ◽

10.1620/tjem.96.393 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 96 (4) ◽

pp. 393-398 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Masaru Maebashi ◽

Kaoru Yoshinaga

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Renin Activity ◽

Human Amniotic Fluid

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Retinol transport proteins and concentrations in human amniotic fluid, placenta, and fetal and maternal sera

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1079/bjn19850144 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 577-583 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

D. Sklan ◽

I. Shalit ◽

N. Lasebnik ◽

Z. Spirer ◽

Y. Weisman

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Umbilical Artery ◽

Protein Complexes ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Umbilical Vein ◽

Retinol Binding Protein ◽

Human Amniotic Fluid ◽

Maternal Circulation ◽

Plasma Retinol

1. The proteins binding retinol, and retinol concentrations, were determined in amniotic fluid, placental cytosol and in the fetal and maternal circulation.2. In non-pregnant women, plasma retinol was almost exclusively found in a transthyretin-retinol-binding-protein complex whereas, in pregnant women, retinol-binding-protein-bound retinol was observed not complexed to transthyretin. This latter fraction increased in concentration with fetal age. These two fractions were the major retinol-protein complexes in amniotic fluid and their relative amounts changed with progress of gestation.3. In fetal blood both of these fractions were again found, with higher proportions of retinol-binding- protein-bound retinol in the umbilical artery than in the umbilical vein.

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The association between the acute psychobiological stress reactivity in second-trimester pregnant women and amniotic fluid cortisol and cortisone

European Journal of Psychotraumatology ◽

10.3402/ejpt.v3i0.19484 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (0) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pearl Ghaemmaghami ◽

Sara M. Dainese ◽

Roberto La Marca ◽

Roland Zimmermann ◽

Ulrike Ehlert

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Stress Reactivity ◽

Second Trimester

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Detection of phytoestrogens in samples of second trimester human amniotic fluid

Toxicology Letters ◽

10.1016/s0378-4274(02)00018-8 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 129 (3) ◽

pp. 199-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 63

Author(s):

Warren G Foster ◽

Siu Chan ◽

Lawrence Platt ◽

Claude L Hughes

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Second Trimester ◽

Human Amniotic Fluid

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Associations between second-trimester amniotic fluid levels of ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5, IL-6, and TNF-α and spontaneous preterm delivery in singleton pregnancies

Journal of Perinatal Medicine ◽

10.1515/jpm-2018-0297 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

pp. 304-310 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rauf Melekoglu ◽

Ercan Yilmaz ◽

Osman Ciftci ◽

Yusuf Taner Kafadar ◽

Ebru Celik

Keyword(s):

Preterm Birth ◽

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Preterm Delivery ◽

Control Group ◽

Second Trimester ◽

Spontaneous Preterm Delivery ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Factor Α ◽

Fluid Levels

Abstract Background We investigated the roles of inflammatory cytokines and the A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) family in the etiopathogenesis of spontaneous preterm delivery by comparing the ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in second-trimester amniotic fluid between pregnant women with preterm birth and term controls. Methods All pregnant women who underwent second-trimester amniocentesis for genetic analysis between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2018, were enrolled in this study. From this cohort, 22 patients who subsequently experienced spontaneous preterm delivery before 34 weeks of pregnancy formed the study group, and 22 age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched patients without preterm birth constituted the control group. Results No significant differences were observed between the preterm birth and control groups in terms of age, BMI, obstetric history of preterm delivery, gestational age at amniocentesis, or indication for amniocentesis. The mean amniotic fluid levels of ADAMTS4 and ADAMTS5 were significantly increased in the preterm birth group compared to the control group (248.3±22.6 and 182.4±19.8 pg/mL, P=0.012; and 198.6±21.6 and 159.1±21.7 pg/mL, P=0.035, respectively). Significantly increased IL-6 and TNF-α levels were also detected in the amniotic fluid of women who experienced spontaneous preterm delivery, relative to controls (142.1±16.2 and 95.8±16.4 pg/mL, P<0.001; and 139.4±12.5 and 89.6±11.2 pg/mL, P<0.001, respectively). Conclusion The results of this study imply that increased mid-trimester amniotic fluid levels of ADAMTS4, ADAMTS5, IL-6, and TNF-α play an important role in the pathophysiology of spontaneous preterm delivery.

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