Levels of serum amyloid P-component associated with pregnancy and collagen-induced arthritis in DBA/1 (H-2 q) mice

The levels of the acute-phase reactant serum amyloid P-component (SAP) were measured by quantitative rocket immunoelectrophoresis in pregnant and non-pregnant DBA/1 female mice with or without collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis (CIA). Non-pregnant animals with CIA showed elevated SAP titres related to the severity of the disease. Pregnancy alone also caused increased SAP levels equivalent to those found in animals with established CIA but which were virgin. The clinical remission seen in arthritic animals during pregnancy was not associated with reductions in circulating SAP levels. Increasing parity, however, caused a lowering of SAP levels in animals with or without CIA compared to the primiparous individuls. Pregnancy causes a strain-dependent elevation of serum SAP which is not further elevated by CIA, thus limiting the usefulness of SAP measurements in assessment of disease progression or remission during gestation.