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Abstract These results are in agreement with the work of (Lewis-Jones. et al.,l985) who recorded that the mean concentration of alpha -1- antitrypsin found to be greater in those woman delivering before their expected data of confinement during the first 4-days of lactation . But this findings disagree with the result of AU-Sannl et al.,(l983), Who reported that there was an insignificant difference in the concentrations of alpha -1- antitrypsin between colostrum and milk obtained at FDM and PDM. Alpha -1- antitrypsin concentration in the serum of preterm and term delivering mothers included in our study was statistically insignificant. This is in accordance with Teisner’s et al., (1982), who found that there is no difference in alpha-1-antitrypsin levels observed between the second and third trimester, also Joseph et al.,(l978) studied alpha-1-antitrypsin levels through out pregnancy and purperium and reported that alpha -! antitrypsin levels rose from the 1z.th to the 27th week after which no further elevation was documented. Studying the concentration of alpha -1- antitrypsin in the colostrum and serum of preterm and fullterm delivering mothers, showed that the concentrations of alpha -1- antitrypsin in serum of preterm and fullterm delivering mothers is greater than its concentration in the colostrum of both groups. We could not fmd any available data or References Correlating the level of colostral alpha -1- antitrypsin with that of the material serum. -66- the breast milk obtained at term or prematurely even when the comparison was made between colostral milks or transitional milks. Contradiction with our result could be explained from our point of view because of a variation in the individual rate of protein synthesis by secretory alveolar epithelial cells, or variations in the level of nutrition, little endemic diseases and also good pre and postnatal care. As regards (C4) level in serum of preterm and term delivering mothers the present study showed that there is an insignificant difference between the concentration of (C4) in serum of preterm and term delivering mothers. Our study also showed that the concentrations of (C4) in the colostrum of PDM and FDM is less than its concentration in maternal serum in both groups. This is in accordance with (Goldman. and Smith,1973) who stated that (C4) is present in colostrum in low concentrations as compared with the levels in serum. It also in agreement with (Miranda. et al., 1983) who found that concentrations of (C3) and (C4) in colostrum were approximately 50 - 70% of normal adult serum. As regards alpha -1- antitrypsin, the present study showed that the concentration of alpha -1- antitrypsin in colostrum obtained from preterm delivering mothers was significantly higherthan that from term delivering mothers. In the present study estimation of (C4) and alpha-1-antitrypsin concentrations was carried on colostral and serum samples of mothers delivering preterm (PDM) and term babies (lDM). The data obtained in this study showed that the (C4) concentration in the colostrum of (PDM) was significantly higher than its concentration in the colostrum of (IDM), this is in accordance with Lewis-Jones. et al., (1985), who stated that the mean concentration of all proteins excluding IGA were found to be greater in those woman delivering before their expected date of confmement during the first 4-days of lactation. They attributed this to the fact that at ”term delivery” placental expulsion causes rapid decline of oestrogen and progestrone levels in the maternal blood this decline in these steriod concentrations will stimulate the onset of lactogenesis and subsequent dilution of milk proteins which may be transported by the alveolar epithelium at a fairly constant level. Premature delivery may cause ”alag” in oestrogen and progesterone decline which would in turn delay the action of prolactin in initiating lactogenesis, subsequant milk secretions would initially have higher concentrations of proteins but a lower volume (Lewis-Jones. et al., 1985), or it may be due to less vigorous narsing by the premature infant, (Armond. et al., 1982). Our results disagree with those of (AU-Sannl. et al.,l983) who measured eight proteins (lgG, lgA, IgM,C4, C3, alpha -1- glycorprotein, alpha-! antitrypsin, lactoferrin) by radial immunodiffusion in 39 milk samples, 26 came from mothers who delivered prematurely (less than 37 W), and 13 from mothers who delivered at term . They found that there was no significative difference in the concentrations of the eight proteins between -64- The maJor biochemical pathways of inflammation inclding the coagulation system, the fibrinolytic system, Kallikrein and complement are poorly represented in human milk, Components of the classical and alternative pathways of complement are found in human milk, but except for the first few days of lactation their concentration in human milk are low compared to peripheral blood. (Goldman. et al., 1986). Macropbages are normally present in human colostrum and milk which have the ability to synthesize complement, lysozyme and lactoferrin. The complement (C4) and (C3) components of complement known for their ability to fuse bacteria bound to a specific antibody are present in colostrum in low concentration as compared with the levels in serum of mothers. The presence of protease inhibitors in milk might theoretically enhance the survival of peptide hormones in the gut, they lessen inflammatory responses by neutralizing the enzyme which act in inflammatory processes, (Talamo., 1975); these protease inhibitors include substantial amounts of Alpha- antitrypsin (Goldman. et al.,1986). Lewis-Jones. et al., (1985) found that during the first week after delivery, there were rapid changes both in volume and composition of milk which corresponded to the time when the infants own defence mechanisms are least developed, this vital period of development without a fully functioning immue system is seemingly dependent on passively transferred immunity which provides local lrotection in the neonatal intestine and possibly plays some part in protection against certain systemic processes such as the transfere of macromolecules or organisms into the blood stream from the gut. |