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Advances in Pediatrics 1986Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening will soon be a routine component of prenatal care. The benefits of MSAFP screening have far exceeded early expectations. This... (Review)
Review
Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening will soon be a routine component of prenatal care. The benefits of MSAFP screening have far exceeded early expectations. This technology not only provides an efficient and cost effective method of screening for fetal neural tube defects that is applicable to all pregnancies but also provides the physician with important information relevant to other complications of pregnancy. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening may also prove to be a significant tool for the early detection of Down's syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. Our knowledge of variables affecting MSAFP levels measured during pregnancy is rapidly evolving and further refinements in the application of MSAFP screening will almost certainly occur. Such refinements can only serve to extend the benefits of this new and very valuable technology in improving the health and well-being of mothers and infants.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mass Screening; Neural Tube Defects; Pregnancy; Prenatal Diagnosis; United States; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 2432763
DOI: No ID Found -
Current Opinion in Obstetrics &... Apr 1991The past year has seen major challenges to existing maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein testing protocols for both neural tube defects and chromosomal anomalies. These... (Review)
Review
The past year has seen major challenges to existing maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein testing protocols for both neural tube defects and chromosomal anomalies. These challenges are reviewed along with the physiology of alpha-fetoprotein; the use of amniocentesis, ultrasonography, and additional serum markers in women with elevated alpha-fetoprotein levels; and epidemiologic implications of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening.
Topics: Congenital Abnormalities; Female; Fetal Diseases; Humans; Neural Tube Defects; Pregnancy; Prenatal Diagnosis; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 1717020
DOI: No ID Found -
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology May 1979
Review
Topics: Female; Humans; Liver Diseases; Neoplasms; Pregnancy; Skin Neoplasms; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 88486
DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12530749 -
Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.) Dec 1990
Review
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers, Tumor; Humans; Liver Diseases; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 1701754
DOI: 10.1002/hep.1840120625 -
American Journal of Obstetrics and... Mar 1976Despite all the information about AFP presented, a great deal still needs to be discovered especially in pregnancy. Geographical and racial differences remain to be...
Despite all the information about AFP presented, a great deal still needs to be discovered especially in pregnancy. Geographical and racial differences remain to be elucidated. Similarly, differences in obstetric population in Helsinki and Baltimore, for example, are only now being studied. Sex differences may exist; Lardinois and associates195 cited a higher level of AFP in male than female fetuses. The important questions that need to be answered are whether AFP assays can help improve the other half of prenatal care- that directed to the fetus- and whether the AFP model can help enhance our understanding of the similarities and differences of fetal and cancer cells.
Topics: Abnormalities, Multiple; Female; Fetal Diseases; Fetal Proteins; Hepatitis B Antigens; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Diseases; Male; Neoplasms; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Prenatal Diagnosis; Prospective Studies; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 56893
DOI: 10.1016/0002-9378(76)90184-8 -
Advances in Cancer Research 1979
Review
Topics: Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Estrogens; Female; Fetal Diseases; Fetus; Humans; Immunosuppression Therapy; Liver Diseases; Male; Neoplasms; Pregnancy; Species Specificity; Teratoma; Tissue Distribution; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 89800
DOI: 10.1016/s0065-230x(08)60849-0 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2024Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a serum protein highly produced during the fetal period. It is also known as a biomarker of various pathologies. Commonly, tumors requiring... (Review)
Review
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a serum protein highly produced during the fetal period. It is also known as a biomarker of various pathologies. Commonly, tumors requiring diagnosis and monitoring through AFP determination appear during the first year of life, with poorer outcomes when presenting in fetal life. Due to advancements in imaging technology, the detectability of ovarian masses in infants is higher. However, the use of AFP as a biomarker could improve diagnosis in cases when imaging and histological examinations are not sensitive enough to detect tumors. From the outcome of our investigation, it is possible to conclude that there is evidence of an association between increased AFP levels and ovarian masses. However, previous studies have presented contradictory and unverified results, with the authors emphasizing that future research is needed. In this article, an analysis of the available literature on AFP as a biomarker of ovarian masses in children was performed. Two types of literature were reviewed: guidance and published studies (clinical trials, reviews, and systematic reviews). We searched the Embase, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases to collect essential data.
Topics: Child; Infant; Female; Humans; alpha-Fetoproteins; Biomarkers; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal; Fetus; Ovarian Neoplasms
PubMed: 38379864
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1307619 -
American Journal of Perinatology May 1994It has been suggested that chorioangiomas should be added to the list of causes of elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. We undertook a review of maternal... (Review)
Review
It has been suggested that chorioangiomas should be added to the list of causes of elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. We undertook a review of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in chorioangiomas histologically diagnosed in our department, and a review of the literature. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein level was elevated in only 1 of our 11 cases of chorioangioma. To date, there have been 14 case reports of chorioangiomas in which maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels have been recorded; 12 of these were associated with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels. We consider that, although chorioangiomas may be a cause of elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels, it is likely to be infrequently a cause of such elevations in our population.
Topics: Female; Hemangioma; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 7519427
DOI: 10.1055/s-2008-1040756 -
Single-cell characteristics and malignancy regulation of alpha-fetoprotein-producing gastric cancer.Cancer Medicine May 2023To characterize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer (AFPGC) at the single-cell level and to identify regulatory factors for AFP expression and malignancy.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer (AFPGC) at the single-cell level and to identify regulatory factors for AFP expression and malignancy.
METHODS
ScRNA-seq was performed on two tumors collected from patients with AFPGC. InferCNV and sub-clustering were applied to identify typical AFPGC cells, followed by AddModuleScore, pathway enrichment, Pseudo-time, and Scenic analyses. Data from a gastric cancer (GC) cohort were collected for conjoint analysis. The analytical results were verified by cell experiments and immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS
AFPGC cells are similar to hepatocytes in transcriptome and transcriptional regulation, with kinetic malignancy-related pathways, compared to the common malignant epithelium. In addition, compared to common GC cells, malignancy-related pathways, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis, were upregulated in AFPGC. Mechanistically, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) was found to be associated with AFP expression and malignant phenotype upon combining our scRNA-seq data with a public database, which was further verified by a series of in vitro experiments and immunohistochemistry.
CONCLUSION
We demonstrated the single-cell characteristics of AFPGC and that DKK1 facilitates AFP expression and malignancy.
Topics: Humans; Stomach Neoplasms; alpha-Fetoproteins; Prognosis
PubMed: 37017469
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5883 -
Journal of Drug Targeting 2015Recent studies have demonstrated that the carboxyterminal third domain of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-CD) binds with various ligands and receptors. Reports within the last... (Review)
Review
Recent studies have demonstrated that the carboxyterminal third domain of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP-CD) binds with various ligands and receptors. Reports within the last decade have established that AFP-CD contains a large fragment of amino acids that interact with several different receptor types. Using computer software specifically designed to identify protein-to-protein interaction at amino acid sequence docking sites, the computer searches identified several types of scavenger-associated receptors and their amino acid sequence locations on the AFP-CD polypeptide chain. The scavenger receptors (SRs) identified were CD36, CD163, Stabilin, SSC5D, SRB1 and SREC; the SR-associated receptors included the mannose, low-density lipoprotein receptors, the asialoglycoprotein receptor, and the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE). Interestingly, some SR interaction sites were localized on the AFP-derived Growth Inhibitory Peptide (GIP) segment at amino acids #480-500. Following the detection studies, a structural subdomain analysis of both the receptor and the AFP-CD revealed the presence of epidermal growth factor (EGF) repeats, extracellular matrix-like protein regions, amino acid-rich motifs and dimerization subdomains. For the first time, it was reported that EGF-like sequence repeats were identified on each of the three domains of AFP. Thereafter, the localization of receptors on specific cell types were reviewed and their functions were discussed.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Binding Sites; Humans; Models, Molecular; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, Scavenger; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 25766080
DOI: 10.3109/1061186X.2015.1015538