Serum protein changes in the pre-eclampsia-eclampsia syndrome.

Abstract

SummaryThe technique of crossed antigen‐antibody immuno‐electrophoresis has been used to compare the serum protein changes of severe pre‐eclampsia with the changes of normal pregnancy.Decrease in the concentrations of serum albumin, transferrin and haemopexin and an increased concentration of α1 glycoprotein, α2 macroglobulin and β lipoprotein were found, giving a protein pattern essentially like that of the nephrotic syndrome.It is believed that these changes are a result of urinary loss of the proteins of intermediate molecular weight, with a compensatory unselective increased synthesis of protein in the liver, and retention in the serum of macroglobulins which are too large to pass through the defective glomerular basement membrane.