Relationships between meconium concentrations of acute phase proteins.

Meconium concentrations of naturally accumulated ceruloplasmin (CER), lactoferrin (LF), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and their relationships considered as a panel of acute phase proteins could be used for the assessment of fetal homeostasis. CER, LF and NGAL concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits in meconium portions (n = 80) collected from 19 healthy neonates. The coefficients of variation (CV) of the meconium LF (1.77) and NGAL (1.26) were about two-fold higher than that of CER (0.73) with significant (P < 0.05) correlations between all three parameters. The LF to NGAL ratio (CV = 0.67) correlated strongly with the CER concentrations (r = 0.39, P < 0.01). These correlations between CER, LF and NGAL concentrations suggest their combined involvement in the metabolic processes in the developing fetus.