Am J Perinatol 2021; 38(S 02): A1-A14
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1735774
MFM and Obstetrics

Maternal Plasma Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 1 Levels May Allow for Rapid Non-Invasive Assessment of Fetal Lung Maturity

Courtney Ritchie
1   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine/Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan
,
Hanna Ozbeki
2   The George Washington University Milken Institute of Public Health, Washington DC
,
Katherine J. Kramer
3   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Centers, New York, New York
,
Maurice-Andre Recanati
4   NIH-Women's Reproductive Health Research Scholar, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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Objective: About 15 million babies are born premature and many suffer from respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). RDS is caused by lings that are too immature to produce surfactant. Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1) is crucial for surfactant production. We seek to determine if maternal plasma levels of LPCAT1 can be used as a non-invasive marker of lung maturity.

Methods: Under IRB approval, women with singleton pregnancies between 28- and 40-weeks’ gestation were invited for serial blood draws. Those with anemia, medical or obstetrical complications were excluded. Samples were collected in EDTA tubes, RNA quantified through reverse transcription PCR and protein levels measured by ELISA. Significance was set at p < 0.05

Results: Levels of cell-free fetal mRNA for LPCAT1 correlates with amniotic fluid lamellar bodies (r2=0.81). A linear correlation between LPCAT1 protein levels and lamellar bodies was also found.

Conclusion: The development of a non-invasive biomarker for lung maturity may allow obstetricians to individualize clinical decisions and treatment plans.



Publication History

Article published online:
17 September 2021

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