Biomaterial Database

Redistribution of plasma zinc between albumin and alpha 2-macroglobulin in pregnancy. 1987

D Fehily, and A S Kiswani, and D M Jenkins, and F M Cremin

Department of Nutrition, University College, Cork, Ireland.

A cross sectional study involving 12 non-pregnant and 71 pregnant women was undertaken to determine the effect of pregnancy on the concentration in the plasma of zinc and copper and the binding of zinc to plasma proteins. The results confirmed the relationship observed by others between reduced zinc and increased copper concentrations in the plasma of pregnant women. These changes occurred during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. The concentrations of plasma albumin-bound zinc and alpha 2-macroglobulin-bound zinc were observed to decrease 27.5% and 52.1%, respectively, during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. During the second and third trimesters of pregnancy a redistribution of zinc occurred within the total plasma zinc pool between albumin and alpha 2-macroglobulin. In the process, the contribution of albumin-bound plasma zinc pool was increased 16.2%, whereas the contribution of alpha 2-macroglobulin-bound plasma zinc was decreased 31.6%. The former is considered more "dynamic" than the latter and the observed shift of zinc within the plasma pool to the albumin-bound state, during pregnancy, may represent an adaptive response designed to offset any adverse effects of reduced maternal plasma zinc concentrations on the developing fetus.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011257	Pregnancy Proteins	Proteins produced by organs of the mother or the PLACENTA during PREGNANCY. These proteins may be pregnancy-specific (present only during pregnancy) or pregnancy-associated (present during pregnancy or under other conditions such as hormone therapy or certain malignancies.)	Placental Proteins,Proteins, Placental,Proteins, Pregnancy
D011485	Protein Binding	The process in which substances, either endogenous or exogenous, bind to proteins, peptides, enzymes, protein precursors, or allied compounds. Specific protein-binding measures are often used as assays in diagnostic assessments.	Plasma Protein Binding Capacity,Binding, Protein
D012016	Reference Values	The range or frequency distribution of a measurement in a population (of organisms, organs or things) that has not been selected for the presence of disease or abnormality.	Normal Range,Normal Values,Reference Ranges,Normal Ranges,Normal Value,Range, Normal,Range, Reference,Ranges, Normal,Ranges, Reference,Reference Range,Reference Value,Value, Normal,Value, Reference,Values, Normal,Values, Reference
D003300	Copper	A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55.	Copper-63,Copper 63
D003430	Cross-Sectional Studies	Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time.	Disease Frequency Surveys,Prevalence Studies,Analysis, Cross-Sectional,Cross Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Survey,Surveys, Disease Frequency,Analyses, Cross Sectional,Analyses, Cross-Sectional,Analysis, Cross Sectional,Cross Sectional Analyses,Cross Sectional Studies,Cross Sectional Survey,Cross-Sectional Analyses,Cross-Sectional Analysis,Cross-Sectional Study,Cross-Sectional Surveys,Disease Frequency Survey,Prevalence Study,Studies, Cross-Sectional,Studies, Prevalence,Study, Cross-Sectional,Study, Prevalence,Survey, Cross-Sectional,Survey, Disease Frequency,Surveys, Cross-Sectional
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000511	alpha-Macroglobulins	Glycoproteins with a molecular weight of approximately 620,000 to 680,000. Precipitation by electrophoresis is in the alpha region. They include alpha 1-macroglobulins and alpha 2-macroglobulins. These proteins exhibit trypsin-, chymotrypsin-, thrombin-, and plasmin-binding activity and function as hormonal transporters.	Slow alpha 2-Macroglobulins,alpha 2-Acute Phase Globulins,alpha-Macrofetoproteins,45S RNP,Acute-Phase alpha 1-Protein,Slow alpha 2-Globulin,alpha 1-Acute Phase Globulin,alpha 1-Acute Phase Protein,alpha 1-Macroglobulin,alpha 2-Acute Phase Globulin,alpha-Macrofetoprotein,Acute Phase alpha 1 Protein,RNP, 45S,Slow alpha 2 Globulin,Slow alpha 2 Macroglobulins,alpha 1 Acute Phase Globulin,alpha 1 Acute Phase Protein,alpha 1 Macroglobulin,alpha 1-Protein, Acute-Phase,alpha 2 Acute Phase Globulin,alpha 2 Acute Phase Globulins,alpha 2-Globulin, Slow,alpha 2-Macroglobulins, Slow,alpha Macrofetoprotein,alpha Macrofetoproteins,alpha Macroglobulins
D012709	Serum Albumin	A major protein in the BLOOD. It is important in maintaining the colloidal osmotic pressure and transporting large organic molecules.	Plasma Albumin,Albumin, Serum