Background: Preeclampsia is a disorder of pregnancy with increased maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. An imbalance between free radical induced lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system has been suggested as possible pathogenesis of preeclapsia. It has been shown correlation of some serum antioxidant agents (for example ceruloplasmin) with preeclampsia and its severity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate of this correlation.Methods: In a analytic case-control study, in clinic and delivery unit of Mirza Koochak Khan university hospital, Tehran, we evaluated 90 pregnant women of 19-38 years old with gestational age higher than 20 weeks in two groups, case (preeclampsia) and control (healty mother). Case group was devided into two groups; mild preeclampsia (n=30) and severe preeclampsia (n=30). Patients with preeclampsia (n=60) had either early (n=41) or late preeclampsia (n=19). Control group included 30 normotensive pregnant women. Serum Ceruroplasmin level was measured. Then relationship between this factor and preeclampsia was studied.Results: The mean level of serum ceruloplasmin in women with severe preeclampsia (390.83mg/dl) and mild preeclampsia (319.43mg/dl) was higher than control group (212.7mg/dl). Likewise it was significantly higher in severe preeclampsia than mild (P<0.001) and higher in early (373.28mg/dl) than late preeclampsi (298.34 mg/dl) (P<0.01).Conclusions: Our data suggest that serum ceruroplasmin level may predict preeclampsia occurrance and its severity. Likewise antioxidant theryapy before the onset of preeclampsia in an attempt to decrease its frequency should be considered.

Background and Purpose: Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy disorder which increases maternal and pre-natal morbidity and mortality. The incidence is about 5% and is influenced by pariety, genetic background, and environmental factors. At present, the sole treatment is termination. It is suitable to use antioxidants for pre-eclampsia prevention. The aim of this study is to measure the maternal serum ceruloplasmin and evaluation of changes presented in pre-eclamptic women VS. Non pre-eclamptic ones.Materials and Methods: This study is executed in a case-control method. 100 cases were selected through pregnant women bedridden from obstetrics-gynecologic and maternity ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari. After examination of exclusion criteria in each case and receiving consent, information was entered in the questionnaire. Venous blood samples were sent to laboratory to measure ceruloplasmin. Data was analyzed by independent t-test.Results: The gestational age means in case and control groups were serially 36.01±2.90 and 37.86±2.82 weeks. The mean for systolic blood pressure for these two groups were serially 153.40±12.22 and 112.5±8.90 mm Hg. The average amount of serum ceruloplasmin in case group was significantly more than control group. 63.3% of women in the case group were in early pre-eclamptic phase and 36.7% of them were in late phase. 22% of women in this group had a history of pre-eclampsia in previous pregnancies and 16% additionally had a history of hypertension before pregnancy. 92% of women in the case group had an extra normal serum ceruloplasmin, while in the control group the number was42%.Conclusion: The variables of Body mass Index, Systolic and Diastolic blood pressure and ceruloplasmin showed a significant difference between case and control groups. The history of preeclampsia and hypertension were effective on the appearance of pre-eclampsia and increased in serum ceruloplasmin, can be considered as an early sign, while having a correlation with pre-eclampsia severity.

Ceruloplasmin (Cp) is a human plasma protein with multiple physiological functions including ferroxidase and oxidase activities. Deficiency or inhibition of the enzyme may lead to some abnormalities, including iron deposition in several tissues and causes various pathological conditions in the body. Direct interaction of cadmium (Cd), a widespread, highly toxic environmental pollutant, with human Cp leads to reversible inhibition of the enzyme. Therefore, investigation of kinetic parameters of Cp in the presence of Cd will lead to a better understanding of mechanism by which Cd inhibit Cp activity. In the present study, Cd inhibited Cp in vitro progressively up to a concentration of 2 mM where about 75% of the enzyme activity was lost 10 min after addition of Cd. An inhibitory constant (ki) of about 1.1 mM was calculated from the slope replot. Fluoroscopic study also was carried out on the native and Cd-inhibited enzyme. Maximum emission spectrum of the inhibited enzyme showed an increased level of about 62% with regard to the native enzyme. Cd-induced enzyme inhibition was prevented by sulfhydryl compounds such as glutathione (1.2, 12 mM), and β-mercaptoethanol (12 mM). The data suggest that a conformational change in the native enzyme due to Cd binding caused enzyme inactivation and sulfhydryl groups on the enzyme probably are involved in inhibition by Cd.

Dear Editor-in-Chief: Thyroid cancer is the most common malignancy of the endocrine system (1) with four histopathological forms of Papillary (PTC), Follicular (FTC), Medullary (MTC) and Anaplastic (ATC). Among all subtypes of thyroid cancers, medullary thyroid carcinoma is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity (2). Ceruloplasmin is a kind of adipokine, expressed in adipose tissue (3). The present study was done based on the hypothesis which some adipokines such as ceruloplasmin could be related to medullary thyroid carcinoma. Before the current study, we measured the serum Vaspin, Retinol Binding Protein-4 (4), adiponectin and leptin as well (5). Since some studies have revealed the association between the development of thyroid cancer and adipokines, this study aimed to investigate this relationship between medullary thyroid cancer and ceruloplasmin...

Introduction & Objective: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disorder that is associated with increased maternal and perinatal mortality. Imbalance between lipid radicals and antioxidant system is discussed as one of the possible mechanisms of pathogenesis of preeclampsia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum ceruloplasmin level and to examine its relationship with severity and complications of preeclampsia.Materials & Methods: This case-control study was performed on 30 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia in Hamedan Fatemiyeh Hospital as the case group. 30 women with normal pregnancy, after matching, as controls entered into the study. After measuring serum ceruloplasmin level, complications such as headache, visual disturbances, intrauterine growth restriction, oligohydramnios, weight loss and placenta decolmant were recorded in the check lists designed for each patient. Data was analyzed through SPSS software version 16, chi-square and t tests.Results: Mean serum ceruloplasmin level in the case group was 317.01 mg/dl and in the control group was 197.94 mg/dl. The difference between them was statistically significant. Also headache and visual disturbances in the case group were significantly higher than the control group.Conclusion: The results showed that serum ceruloplasmin level in the patients with preeclampsia is higher than those with normal pregnancy.