Plasma protein Thiols, Malondialdehyde, Phosphodiesterase and RBC Acetylcholinesterase in patients with intrauterine growth restriction

Introduction: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is a term which is used to describe a condition in which the foetus is smaller than expected, for the number of weeks of pregnancy. One of the main reasons for this condition is that the foetus is not receiving the necessary nutrients, blood and oxygen which are needed for the growth and development of its organs and tissues. Nitric oxide (NO) which acts through cyclic GMP (cGMP), plays an important role in the pathophysiology of the vascular system. So, phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity may play a role in pre-eclampsia and endothelial dysfunction. Another compound that maintains the vascular tone is acetylcholine (Ach). It exerts its effect at neuromuscular junctions and is involved with muscle contraction. The oxidant status of the cell modulates angiogenesis, which is critical for embryonic growth. Aim: To estimate plasma phosphodiesterase, protein thiols, malondialdehyde (MDA) and RBC acetylcholinesterase (AchE) in normal pregnant women who were in their 28-36^th weeks of gestation and to compare their respective levels of these parameters in pregnant women who were diagnosed with IUGR in the same time period of their gestation. Results and Discussion: We found a significant decrease in PDE (p < 0.05) and a marginal decrease in AchE activities in patients with IUGR as compared to the controls. Both protein thiols and MDA were found to be marginally elevated in IUGR patients, thus indicating an increased turnover of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Our study shows that the pathophysiology of IUGR is multifactorial and a large scale study in this matter is required to further substantiate our findings. Key Messages: The foetoplacental circulation plays a key role in the growth and the development of the foetus. Both acetylcholinesterase and phosphodiesterase may play key roles in the growth and development of a foetus. If a definitive marker can be found in this regard, it will be of immense help to mankind. Any attempt to find such markers is worth rewarding.