Affinity Chromatography of Amniotic Fluid Alphafetoprotein Using Concanavalin A-Sepharose

We measured Concanavalin A (Con A) non-binding alphafetoprotein in amniotic fluid from 21 normal pregnancies and 20 abnormal pregnancies (complicated by anencephaly, spina bifida, or exomphalos) using small Con A-sepharose chromatography columns. There was a highly significant difference between percentage non-binding alphafetoprotein levels for pregnancies with a normal outcome (mean result 32%; range 18–47%) and pregnancies complicated by a neural tube defect or exomphalos (mean 14%; range 7–20%). The test is therefore of potential value in cases where there is uncertainty over the interpretation of total amniotic fluid alphafetoprotein levels.

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Concanavalin A binding of alpha-fetoprotein in amniotic fluid as an aid in the diagnosis of neural tube defects.

Clinical Chemistry ◽

10.1093/clinchem/27.10.1658 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 27 (10) ◽

pp. 1658-1660 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

P K Buamah ◽

P Taylor ◽

A M Ward

Keyword(s):

Spina Bifida ◽

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Neural Tube ◽

Neural Tube Defects ◽

Concanavalin A ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Alpha Fetoprotein ◽

Normal Outcome ◽

Fetal Malformations ◽

Open Spina Bifida

Abstract Concanavalin A nonreactive alpha-fetoprotein was determined in samples of amniotic fluid from 16 abnormal pregnancies complicated by anencephaly (7), open spina bifida (6), intra-uterine death (1), anencephaly with exomphalos (1), or open spina bifida with exomphalos (1), and in amniotic fluid from 50 normal pregnancies with gestational age between 13 and 24 weeks. In all 16 cases with fetal malformations, the proportion of nonreactive alpha-fetoprotein was significantly decreased (median 5.3%) as compared with amniotic fluid from pregnancies with a normal outcome (median 39.7%). The results confirm that this measurement is useful in the diagnosis of neural tube defects, especially when the concentration of alpha-fetoprotein in amniotic fluid is normal or only slightly above normal and gestational age is uncertain.

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Concanavalin A reactivity pattern of human amniotic fluid AFP examined by crossed affino-immunoelectrophoresis. A definite test for neural tube defect?

Clinical Genetics ◽

10.1111/j.1399-0004.1980.tb00162.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. 355-362 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

B. Nørgaard-Pedersen ◽

K. Toftager-Larsen ◽

J. Philip ◽

P. Hindersson

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Neural Tube ◽

Neural Tube Defect ◽

Concanavalin A ◽

Human Amniotic Fluid ◽

Reactivity Pattern

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Experience of 300 cases of prenatal fetoscopic open spina bifida repair: Report of the International Fetoscopic Neural Tube Defect Repair Consortium.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology ◽

10.1016/j.ajog.2021.05.044 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Magdalena Sanz cortes ◽

Ramen H. Chmait ◽

Denise A. Lapa ◽

Michael A. Belfort ◽

Elena Carreras ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spina Bifida ◽

Neural Tube ◽

Neural Tube Defect ◽

Defect Repair ◽

Open Spina Bifida

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A neural tube defect specific form of acetylcholinesterase in amniotic fluid

Clinica Chimica Acta ◽

10.1016/0009-8981(83)90140-7 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 135 (2) ◽

pp. 233-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

James R. Bonham ◽

John R. Atack

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Neural Tube ◽

Neural Tube Defect ◽

Specific Form

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Nutrient Levels in Amniotic Fluid from Women with Normal and Neural Tube Defect Pregnancies

Neonatology ◽

10.1159/000243747 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 61 (4) ◽

pp. 226-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

E.W. Weekes ◽

T. Tamura ◽

R.O. Davis ◽

R. Birch ◽

W.H. Vaughn ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Neural Tube ◽

Neural Tube Defect ◽

Nutrient Levels

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Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid Protein Values from Normal, Neural Tube Defect, and Fetal Demise Pregnancies after Exclusion of Maternal Blood Contamination by Testing for Pregnancy-associated Macroglobulin

Pediatric Research ◽

10.1203/00006450-197803000-00018 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 243-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

James E Haddow ◽

F Susan Cowchock ◽

James N Macri ◽

Mark Munson ◽

Patricia Baldwin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Neural Tube ◽

Neural Tube Defect ◽

Maternal Blood ◽

Second Trimester ◽

Blood Contamination ◽

Fetal Demise

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Reactivity of amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein with concanavalin A in relation to gestational age: clinical implications.

Clinical Chemistry ◽

10.1093/clinchem/26.12.1656 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 26 (12) ◽

pp. 1656-1659 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

K Toftager-Larsen ◽

E Kjaersgaard ◽

J C Jacobsen ◽

B Nørgaard-Pedersen

Keyword(s):

Amniotic Fluid ◽

Clinical Significance ◽

Concanavalin A ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Normal Values ◽

Alpha Fetoprotein ◽

Clinical Implications ◽

Fetal Malformation ◽

Average Decrease ◽

Normal Outcome

Abstract We used concanavalin A crossed-line affinity immunoelectrophoresis to determine the percentage of concanavalin A nonreactive alpha-fetoprotein in amniotic fluid samples from pregnancies with normal and abnormal fetuses. In 167 samples from pregnancies with a normal outcome and normal values for total alpha-fetoprotein concentration in amniotic fluid the percentage decreased from a median value of 27.4% in the 13th week to 8.5% in the 21st week of gestation, and a statistically significant (p < 0.001) average decrease of 1.7% per week was found from the 14th to the 19th week. A similar average decrease (2.2%) was found in 22 pregnancies from which two or more samples were obtained. The clinical significance of this decrease is discussed. Of 108 samples from patients with above-normal values for total alpha-fetoprotein and a normal outcome, seven had a total alpha-fetoprotein above recommended cut-off values, and only one of these had a low percentage of concanavalin A nonreactive alpha-fetoprotein. In contrast, for all 27 samples from pregnancies with a severe fetal malformation this percentage was low, even in one case where the total alpha-fetoprotein concentration was below the recommended cut-off value.

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