Serum levels of pregnancy associated alpha 2-glycoprotein (alpha 2-PAG) during pregnancy in autoimmune thyroid disease: relationship to disease activity

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 564 - 570
• Main Authors: Scott, R M, How, J, Gerrie, L M, Khir, A S, Bewsher, P D, Horne, C H, Thomson, A W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-03-1985
• Subjects: Adult; Autoantibodies - analysis; Female; Graves Disease - blood; Graves Disease - immunology; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications - blood; Pregnancy Complications - immunology; Pregnancy Proteins - metabolism; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune - blood; Thyroiditis, Autoimmune - immunology
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249

Serum concentrations of pregnancy associated alpha 2-glycoprotein (alpha 2-PAG) were measured serially by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay during 24 pregnancies in 18 patients with Graves' disease and four with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. During each trimester, alpha 2-PAG levels were significantly higher than in normal pregnant controls, matched for week of gestation. Patients showing remission of disease activity had progressively higher alpha 2-PAG levels throughout pregnancy than those with active disease. The data support the idea that alpha 2-PAG may play an important role in inducing and maintaining the clinical remissions observed in some women with autoimmune thyroid disease during pregnancy.