CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Alkaline phosphatases (AP) are a group of 4 isoenzymes classified as the tissue specific placental, germ cell, intestinal isoenzymes and the non-tissue specific. It is well documented that AP levels are elevated in in the third trimester of pregnancy, mainly as a result of the production of the placental form and bone form due to fetal bone growth. The AP placental isoform (PLAP) is in the plasma membrane of the microvilli of the syncytiotrophoblast. Although its role in the placenta is still unclear, it is well documented that placental insufficiency increases its expression. Recently, it was reported that exosome release into maternal circulation increases in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia and intrahepatic cholestasis. The expression of PLAP in theses exosomes is also increased. However, its clinical significance is not explored yet.Objective: to study the dynamic behavior of the serum AP enzyme levels in pregnant women with preeclampsia (PE) and intrahepatic cholestasis pregnancy (IC).Methodology: A retrospective descriptive-quantitative study using the clinical records was carried out in 113 women (60 normal pregnancies, 39 PE and 14 IC) who attended their pregnancy at the Hospital Posadas during 2019. Total serum AP levels, gestational age, newborn weight and sex were considered. Results: No significant differences in AP levels among the groups were found. Newborn weight and sex did not change AP levels.Conclusion: The increased AP levels found in exosomes released into the maternal circulation in preeclamptic pregnancies do not correlate with the levels of the soluble enzyme in the maternal serum. Therefore, placental stress in pregnant women complicated by PE or IC does not seem to impact the serum levels of AP, subtracting the diagnostic value of the enzyme during pregnancy.