TUBULAR PROTEINS AND ENZYME CONTENT IN THE AMNIOTIC-FLUID

Amniotic fluid is the product of many substances and fetal urine is co nsidered to be one of the principal components. Only a few reports hav e been published describing the concentration of microglobulins and ur inary enzymes in the amniotic fluid. We determined the levels of alpha (1)-m, beta(2)-m, AAP and NAG, in 154 samples of amniotic fluid (103 e arly determinations and 51 late determinations) as a function of gesta tional age. We observed a statistically significant decrease in concen tration of alpha(1)-m (P < 0.001), beta(2)-m (P < 0.01) and AAP (P < 0 .001) when early and late amniotic fluid samples were compared. A stat istically significant increase of NAG (P < 0.01) and creatinine (P < 0 .01) was also found. A significant correlation was observed between al pha(1)-m and beta(2)-m, and between AAP and NAG, respectively. The pot ential role of urinary enzyme and microglobulin determination in amnio tic fluid as an index of fetal kidney development, is discussed.