Abstract
We have previously reported a significant association between ACP1 phenotype and serum bilirubin levels during the neonatal period (Lancet 1:918, 1976). ACP1 acts in vivo as a flavin-mononucleotide phosphatase and may play a significant role during foetal development. A prospective study of 489 infants consecutively born in Rome was performed. Mean values for gestational age were similar among different ACP1 phenotypes, but variance ratios were highly significant (p < 0.01). The proportion of preterm infants (<37 weeks gestation) was lowest (3.6%) among phenotypes heterozygous for Pb allele (BA and CB, N°=192), intermediate (6.7%) among homozygous B phenotypes (N°=238) and highest (13.6%) among phenotypes without pb (A and CA.N°=59). These data indicate that ACP1 may affect the length of gestation and that heterozygosity for Pb allele of ACP1 may represent an advantage in neonatal selection. They also provide the first clear example of the postulated selective advantage of heterozygotes for the main allele (Pb) of a "normal" polymorphism (ACP1).
(Work supported by grants from CNR and MPI).
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Pascone, R., Lucarelli, P., Matteucci, P. et al. Gestational length and erythrocyte acid phosphatase (ACP1) phenotype. Pediatr Res 14, 1426 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198012000-00106
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198012000-00106