Plasma profile of pregnancy associated glycoprotein (PAG) in pregnant Alpine goats using two radioimmunoassay (RIA) systems

This paper evaluates the profiles obtained for caprine pregnancy associated glycoprotein (cPAG) in pregnant multiparous and nulliparous goats using the heterologous-radioimmunoassay (htPAG-RIA) and the homologous-RIA (hmPAG-RIA) systems during the pregnancy and postpartum periods. The results show that the cPAG concentrations detected through the hmPAG-RIA procedure were lower than those found through the htPAG-RIA method. No statistical differences were observed due to the maternal reproductive status (nulliparous or multiparous goats) during pregnancy using either one of the methods. However, pregnant and cyclic goats were distinguished from each other by cPAG concentrations verified through the hmPAG-RIA procedure. The lower cPAG concentrations detected through this method suggest that this system is more specific than the htPAG-RIA procedure to measure cPAG during pregnancy and postpartum period in goats. The homologous system was also an efficient method to predict pregnancies of only 35 days in both nulliparous and multiparous goats. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.