Inhibitory effects of amniotic fluid on the activated protein C anticoagulation system in maternal plasma

Abstract

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality. We previously reported that possible contamination of amniotic fluid (AF) into maternal circulation accelerated thrombin production and activated platelet function in maternal blood through the extrinsic pathway, which may be associated with the high incidence of PTE in early puerperium. However, it remains unclear whether the maternal anticoagulation system, e.g., the activated protein C (APC) pathway, contributes to the hypercoagulable condition induced by AF. Our previous study using an endogenous thrombin potential (ETP)-based assay revealed that sensitivity to APC was reduced during the postpartum first day, i.e., immediately after delivery, when parturients were supposed to be exposed to AF. Our aim is to investigate the susceptibility of maternal plasma to APC when mixed with AF. We collected plasma from 51 pregnant females and mixed with AF as well as APC. APC-sensitivity ratio (APC-sr) was calculated using the ETP-based assay. Addition of AF to maternal plasma showed a significant increase of ETP in the presence of APC. APC-sr was significantly increased, indicating decreased sensitivity to APC, after AF mixture to maternal plasma. The present APC-sr difference with AF contamination was smaller than that we reported previously in venous thromboembolism cases. The inhibitory effects of AF on the APC anticoagulation pathway may contribute, at least partly, to further promotion of thrombin production induced by AF. Combined with other classical thrombophilic risk factors, the present findings support possible involvements of AF exposure in the high incidence of PTE in early puerperium.

Keywords: Activated protein C; Amniotic fluid; Coagulation; Endogenous thrombin potential; Pregnancy; Pulmonary thromboembolism.