Authors: Laura B Lewandowski Darshak Sanghavi
Publish Date: 2012/08/23
Volume: 34, Issue: 3, Pages: 512-517
Abstract
Conotruncal cardiac defects are partially prevented by maternal folic acid supplementation However the biochemical mechanism is unknown Maternal autoantibodies to folate receptors previously associated with increased risk for neural tube defects also may account for this effect This study aimed to examine the titers of folate receptorblocking autoantibodies in mothers of children with conotruncal congenital heart defects and to compare them with those in the general population Serum samples were obtained from 22 women whose pregnancies were complicated by conotruncal congenital heart malformations Groups of samples were analyzed for autoantibodies against 3H folic acidlabeled folate receptors quantitative amounts of immunoglobulin G IgG and IgM autoantibodies to the folate receptor and for ability to blockbind folic acid to receptors No elevated levels of antibodies binding to 3H folic acidlabeled folate receptors were found No difference was found in antifolate receptor alphaIgG or IgM median levels between cases 261 vs 240 μg/mL and control subjects 773 vs 924 μg/mL There was no increased blocking of folic acid binding between cases 069 ng/mL 95 confidence interval CI 0006–001 and control subjects 069 ng/mL 95 CI 0003–0013 Although epidemiologic evidence suggests that periconceptual folic acid may prevent many conotruncal congenital heart defects the current study suggests that this effect is unlikely to be explained by the presence of maternal autoantibodies to folate receptor These data suggest that a strategy of screening women for such autoantibodies will not identify a highrisk group of women to target for supplemental folic acid to prevent congenital heart defects
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