Early pregnancy factor is an immunosuppressive contaminant of commercial preparations of human chorionic gonadotrophin
Rolfe, B.E.; Morton, H.; Clarke, F.M.
Clinical and Experimental Immunology 51(1): 45-52
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-9104 PMID: 6831771 Document Number: 205969
Early pregnancy factor (EPF) is a pregnancy associated substance detected in human serum and urine throughout the 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy. It has also been detected in several commercial preparations of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The various MW forms of EPF which occur in human pregnancy serum, urine and commercial hCG preparations have been partially characterized and found to be similar to each other, but distinct from hCG. Apparently, EPF rather than hCG is responsible for the immunosuppressive activity of some crude hCG preparations.