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M Julkunen

Publications and source records attributed to M Julkunen.

42 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Serum levels of placental protein 14 reflect ovulation in nonconceptional menstrual cycles.

Placental protein 14 (PP14), originally isolated from the human placenta and its adjacent membranes, was detected in the serum of nonpregnant women. The levels were measured by radioimmunoassay in 218 serum samples from 19 women throughout the menstrual cycle. In 13 women with a normal ovulatory cycle, the levels showed consistent variation. They were highest (up to 172 ng/ml) in the late secretory phase and remained high for the first days of the next cycle. Low concentrations were found from the midproliferative to the early luteal phase of the cycle. No similar variation was seen in anovulatory cycles of six other women. Compared with ovulatory cycles, anovulatory cycles exhibited lower PP14 levels in the latter part of the cycle (P less than 0.001) and in the beginning of the next cycle (P less than 0.01). In ovulatory cycles, the sustained elevation of serum PP14 concentration over the following period may be explained by the fairly long half-life (42 hours) of PP14 in serum: once the level has increased, it declines slowly. These results suggest that PP14 measurement may become a novel means to distinguish between ovulatory and anovulatory cycles even after the onset of the next period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Distribution of placental protein 14 in tissues and body fluids during pregnancy.

Placental protein 14 (PP14) levels were measured in serum samples from non-pregnant and pregnant women, amniotic fluid, cord blood, and extracts of placenta, decidua and fetal membranes. The levels were low (15-40 micrograms/l) in serum of non-pregnant women. In four pregnancies following in-vitro fertilization, the serum PP14 levels started to rise 2-12 days after embryo replacement. In normal pregnancy, the highest serum PP14 concentrations (up to 2200 micrograms/l) were detected between 6 and 12 weeks. After 16 weeks the level decreased and plateaued at 24 weeks to around 200 micrograms/l. In amniotic fluid, the highest PP14 levels (232 mg/l) were found between 12 and 20 weeks, being considerably higher than those in maternal serum throughout pregnancy. In cord blood, the levels were low (15-22 micrograms/l) or undetectable. In early pregnancy decidua, the PP14 content was higher (41-160 mg/g total protein) than in late pregnancy decidua (60-2700 micrograms/g total protein). In amnion and chorion laeve, the PP14 concentration varied from 50 to 750 and 50 to 1000 micrograms/g protein, respectively. Early pregnancy placenta contained 0.25-15 mg/g and late pregnancy placenta 3-430 micrograms/g protein of PP14. These results show that the levels of PP14 in pregnancy serum have a similar profile to hCG, but in contrast to other placental proteins, the amniotic fluid PP14 levels are remarkably high. This may be explained by suggesting that decidua is a source of PP14.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1985

Pregnancy proteins in seminal plasma, seminal vesicles, preovulatory follicular fluid, and ovary.

A number of proteins previously thought to be specific for the placenta or pregnancy have been identified in the fluids bathing both the oocyte and the sperm. In many cases their concentrations in follicular fluid and seminal plasma greatly exceeded those in the serum of nonpregnant women or men, and sometimes they even exceeded the levels in pregnancy sera. We report here the occurrence of PP5, PP12, PP14 and PAPP-A in follicular fluid and seminal plasma. In follicular fluid, the levels of PP5, PP12, and PAPP-A correlate with the estrogen concentration of the same fluid, and the PP12 and PAPP-A levels also bear a positive correlation to the progesterone concentration. The levels of PP12 and PAPP-A increase as the follicle grows, as do the levels of many steroid hormones. Therefore, the apparent correlations observed may be merely coincidental. However, circumstantial evidence from other reproductive organs indicates that the synthesis of PP12 and PAPP-A is stimulated by progesterone. Results of immunohistochemical staining show that PP12 and PAPP-A are localized in the luteinized granulosa cells and the corpus luteum. Previous studies indicate that PP5 and PAPP-A inhibit the action of proteolytic enzymes plasmin and elastase, which are believed to be involved in the mechanisms of ovulation. The study of the significance of these various placental proteins for human reproduction is only at its beginning. Clearly, elucidation of their function is the key to a more fundamental understanding of their role in the events governing ovulation and implantation.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Pregnancy proteins in the endometrium after follicle aspiration for in vitro fertilization.

Placental proteins PP10, PP12, and PP14 and pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) and relaxin (RX) were studied by the immunoperoxidase method in the uterine mucosa at the time of embryo replacement in 18 women for whom no embryo was available to be replaced. All subjects had received 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone caproate at the time of follicle aspiration, which had been performed 36 hours after preovulatory administration of hCG. The time between follicle aspiration and endometrial biopsy varied from 26 to 216 hours. PP10 was not detected in any specimen. RX was found in 17 of 18, PP12 in 15 of 18, PAPP-A in 14 of 18, and PP14 in 6 of 18 specimens. In a normal cycle, PP12, PAPP-A and RX appear in the endometrium on the fourth day post ovulation. In the conditions described above the same proteins could be seen in the endometrium sooner after oocyte retrieval. This may be due to a strong progesterone effect after multiple follicle aspirations and treatment with 17 alpha-hydroxyprogesterone. The significance of the occurrence of these pregnancy proteins as well as that of the morphologic and biochemical maturity of the endometrium at the time of embryo transfer are discussed.

Endometrium↗
PubMed1984

Detection and localization of placental protein 14-like protein in human seminal plasma and in the male genital tract.

The concentration of PP14 in seminal plasma was determined by radioimmunoassay. The levels were 13-362 mg/liter in normospermic specimens (n = 36), 10-252 mg/liter in samples from 46 infertile men (oligo-, astheno-, terato- or necrospermia), and 30-233 mg/liter in 7 vasectomized men. No significant difference was found in the PP14 levels in the groups examined. Low PP14 levels (13-25 micrograms/liter) were detected in male sera. In RIA, serial dilutions of seminal plasma and purified PP14 gave parallel dose-response curves. In tandem-crossed immunoelectrophoresis, seminal plasma PP14 showed a reaction of identity with PP14 purified from human term placenta. The isoelectric point of seminal plasma PP14 was 5.2-5.4 and that of early maternal serum PP14 was 4.8-4.9. In the normospermic group a moderate negative correlation (p less than 0.05) was found between the volume of seminal plasma and the PP14 level, whereas the correlation was positive (p less than 0.05) in the infertile group. There also was a negative correlation (p less than 0.05) between the percentage of motile spermatozoa and PP14 concentration. No correlation was observed between the sperm count or age of men and PP14 level in seminal plasma. The origin of seminal plasma PP14 is not from the testes, as the levels in vasectomized and nonvasectomized men were similar. By immunoperoxidase staining, PP14 was detected in the epithelium of seminal vesicles but not in the testis.

Adult↗