ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MANNAN-BINDING PROTEIN-DEFICIENCY AND RECURRENT MISCARRIAGE

The distribution of mannan binding protein (MBP) in blood donor sera w as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to establish normal concentrations. Abnormally low MBP concentrations were found in 16% ( 21 out of 135) of female partners and 14% (15 out of 108) of male part ners of couples experiencing recurrent miscarriage, compared with <5% of obstetrically normal controls (P < 0.005). This relationship was ev en stronger (9.5 versus 1.0%) and more significant (P < 0.002) when on ly subjects presumed to be homozygous for the mutant allele responsibl e for MBP deficiency were considered. By immunohistochemistry, MBP cou ld be demonstrated in first trimester placenta. We suggest that low co ncentrations of MBP within the fete-placental unit increase susceptibi lity to fetal loss, possibly via an infection-induced placental cytoki ne imbalance.