Isolation and characterization of 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione and progesterone in pepipheral blood of pregnant women. measurement throughout pregnancy

Gynecol Invest. 1975;6(5):291-306.

Abstract

5alpha-Pregnane-3,20-dione and progesterone were isolated from a pregnancy plasma pool and were identified by using a combination of chromatographic techniques and mass spectrometry. Antibodies to progesterone were obtained in rabbits by immunization with progesterone-1alpha-carboxyethyl-thioether-thyroglobulin. The raised antibodies were of high affinity and one of them cross-reacted (137%) with 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione. This property was used to develop radioimmunoassays for measuring circulating levels of both progesterone and 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione in pregnancy plasma. The levels of both progesterone and 5alpha-pregnane-3,20-dione increase throughout pregnancy, but a highly significant increase is observed only after the 32nd week of gestation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Second
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Third
  • Pregnanediones / blood*
  • Pregnanediones / isolation & purification
  • Progesterone / blood*
  • Progesterone / immunology
  • Progesterone / isolation & purification
  • Rabbits / immunology
  • Radioimmunoassay

Substances

  • Antibodies
  • Pregnanediones
  • Progesterone