1141634395
Analysis of protein profiles of amniotic fluid in a pregnant woman with a fetus of Down syndrome by SELDI‐TOF mass spectrometry

Aim: The identification of protein profiles of amniotic fluid in a pregnant woman with a normal fetus or fetus with down syndrome is a major issue in prenatal diagnosis. Methods: In this study, we analyzed protein profiles of amniotic fluids of pregnant women with a normal fetus (50 cases) and with a fetus of Down syndrome (7 cases) using SELDI‐TOF mass spectrometry. We used a weak cation exchange chip (CM10) under the condition of pH 4.5 for analyzing protein profiles. Results: We found 111 increased protein peaks in 3–10 kDa range, 111 peaks in 5–15 kDa and 53 peaks in 10–30 kDa, respectively. After comparing the protein profiles of normal to that of Down syndrome, we finally identified the increases in expression of a 5.4 kDa protein and a 13.4 kDa protein in pregnant women with a fetus of Down syndrome, whereas, 6.9 kDa, 12.5 kDa and 13.7 kDa proteins in pregnant women with a normal fetus. Conclusion: We first identified the protein profiles of amniotic fluid in normal pregnant women and specific protein profiles in pregnant women with a fetus of Down syndrome. These protein profiles in amniotic fluid might be important and useful information for prenatal diagnosis.