Haptoglobin development in newborn infants from diabetic mothers.

Haptoglobin (Hp) development during the neonatal period has been studied in 325 newborn infants from normal pregnancies and in 242 infants from diabetic mothers. In infants from diabetic mothers Hp development is delayed as compared to infants from normal pregnancies. This delay is associated with a change in the pattern of relationship between Hp development and the polymorphism of acid phosphatase (ACP1) (an enzyme which shows phosphotyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) activity). In infants from normal pregnancies who show ACP1 phenotypes with the highest activity, the appearance of Hp is accelerated as compared to other infants. In contrast, infants from diabetic pregnancies who have ACP1 phenotypes with the highest activity, show delayed Hp development.