Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.1.1.8 (cholinesterase)
 12,691 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The determination of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) has been shown to be as specific as alphafetoprotein (AFP) for the prenatal detection of open neural tube defects although AFP remains the method of choice. This paper describes a semi-automated technique for the analysis of acetylcholinesterase in amniotic fluid that: A) reduces the cost of the procedure; B) allows for a larger number of samples to be run at a time; and C) provides for more accurate and reproducible procedures and results. Six fetuses with neural tube defects (2 with gastroschisis and 3 where one twin was dead) were detected and found to have elevated AChE, TChE and 2 bands by electrophoresis. Quality control procedures using both pure enzyme and amniotic fluid with low and high levels of the enzyme are described. The analysis of 340 amniotic fluids of normal pregnancies indicates that the normal value for AChE is 5.17 +/- 2.63 mU/ml (97% confidence interval for the mean 4.84-5.49 mU/ml. A group of 27 abnormal pregnancies provides evidence that fetal vomiting and regurgitation, fetal demise, multiple cysts syndrome, idiopathic IUGR, arthrogryposis multiplex, hydrocephaly (stenosis of aqueductus), trisomy 21, trisomy 18, hydronephrosis, pyloric stenosis, heart malformation, ectopia cordis and multiple gestation produce elevated levels of pseudocholinesterase (PChE) in amniotic fluid. The use of pseudocholinesterase levels in amniotic fluid for prenatal diagnosis is proposed and discussed in view of its elevated levels in abnormal pregnancies where AChE is normal. The normal values for PChE are 23.86 mU/ml (mean) and 5.83 for standard deviation. Electrophoretic analysis was performed on all samples with values higher than one standard deviation above the mean.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Determination of cholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase in amniotic fluid. Uses in prenatal diagnosis and quality control. 242 50

The qualitative acetylcholinesterase (AChE) test has been used in conjunction with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) assay on 255 amniotic fluid samples: 191 from normal pregnancies, 44 from abnormal pregnancies (foetal anomalies or intrauterine death). In all cases of normal amniotic fluid obtained before 25 weeks, gel revealed a single major band of non specific cholinesterase, even in fluids contaminated by maternal of foetal blood, whereas 5 fluids contaminated by foetal blood were false positive on AFP. In 8 normal specimens with clear aspect, obtained after 25 weeks, gel revealed a second (AChE) faint band, inhibited by BW 284 C 51. That result shows the risk of false-positive for samples obtained in late pregnancy. All 20 cases of neural tube defect gave a characteristic AChE band: large and intense band. In 9 cases of abdominal wall defect, 3 presented an AChE faint band, just as 2 cases of atresia and 2 cases of hydronephrosis. Negative AChE results were found un 1 case of congenital nephrosis, 3 cases of hydrocephaly and 1 case of teratoma. The main value of qualitative AChE test seems today in diagnosing neural tube defects with a greater sensibility and in classifying bloody fluids in which the AFP is at or above the cut-off level.
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PMID:[Amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase and prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects. II. Qualitative test]. 713 Sep 61