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Maternal and Postnatal Umbilical Cord Blood Alpha-1-Acid Glycoprotein and Protein-Bound Hexose Levels as Inflammatory
Jian Hussein1,2, Sardar Ahmed1, Shahla Alalaf3
1Department of Pharmacology, Medical Physics, and Clinical Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Insights
Maternal alpha1-acid glycoprotein (α1-AGP) and protein-bound hexose (PBH) are elevated in preeclampsia (PE). Elevated α1-AGP was also found in umbilical cord blood, suggesting their potential as inflammation biomarkers for PE.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Clinical Chemistry
- Reproductive Medicine
Background:
- Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious pregnancy complication with unknown causes.
- It leads to significant maternal and fetal health risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure alpha1-acid glycoprotein (α1-AGP) and protein-bound hexose (PBH) levels in preeclamptic (PE) and normotensive pregnancies.
- To assess these biomarkers in maternal circulation and umbilical cord blood.
- To evaluate their association with PE and potential as inflammatory markers.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 104 PE and 99 normotensive pregnant women.
- Maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were analyzed for α1-AGP and PBH.
- ELISA and colorimetric methods were used for biomarker quantification.
Main Results:
- Maternal α1-AGP and PBH levels were significantly higher in women with PE.
- α1-AGP was also elevated in umbilical cord blood of PE infants.
- Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis showed excellent discrimination (AUC=1.00 for maternal α1-AGP, 0.964 for maternal PBH).
Conclusions:
- Maternal α1-AGP and PBH are significantly elevated in preeclampsia.
- α1-AGP is also elevated in umbilical cord blood, indicating its role in fetal inflammation.
- These biomarkers show high diagnostic potential for PE and associated inflammation.
Background:
Preeclampsia (PE) is a multisystem disorder of unknown cause, leading to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to measure the inflammatory biomarkers alpha1-acid glycoprotein (α1-AGP) and protein-bound hexose (PBH) in the maternal circulation of women with PE and normotensive pregnant women, as well as in postnatal umbilical cord blood, to compare levels between groups and assess their association with PE.
Methods:
A hospital-based case-control study was conducted from June 2024 to July 2025 at the Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq, including 104 preeclamptic and 99 normotensive pregnant women. Maternal and postnatal umbilical cord α1-AGP levels were measured using a BiotecSunlong ELISA kit (cut-off: 71.3 and 50.64 ng/mL, respectively), while PBH was measured using the orcinol colorimetric method (cut-off: 111 and 67.36 mg/dL, respectively).
Results:
Maternal α1-AGP and PBH levels were significantly higher in preeclamptic women (P<0.001). In postnatal umbilical cord blood, α1-AGP was elevated in PE, while PBH showed no significant difference. Maternal and postnatal α1-AGP demonstrated a moderate positive correlation (ρ=0.522, P<0.001), whereas PBH showed a weak correlation (ρ=0.242, P=0.016). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated excellent discrimination between groups, with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 1.00 for maternal α1-AGP and 0.964 for maternal PBH.
Conclusion:
Maternal α1-AGP and PBH are significantly elevated in preeclampsia, with α1-AGP also higher in postnatal umbilical cord blood. The high AUC supports their relevance as biomarkers of maternal and postnatal inflammation in PE.
