This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dudley, D. J. Articles by Trautman, M. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Inflammatory Cytokine mRNA in Human Gestational Tissues: Implications for Term and Preterm Labor

Deborah Collmer, BS

Murray D. Mitchell, DPhil

Michael S. Trautman, MD

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah; Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Objective: To determine if inflammatory cytokine mRNA in gestational tissues is present only in the setting of infection-associated preterm labor or under several other clinical conditions.

Methods: Human gestational tissues were collected from 51 women experiencing 1) term cesarean delivery without labor, 2) normal term vaginal delivery, 3) preterm cesarean delivery without labor, 4) preterm vaginal delivery without chorioamnionitis, and 5) preterm vaginal delivery with concomitant chorioamnionitis. Decidua, chorion, and amnion were isolated, total RNA from each tissue was extracted, and the presence of inflammatory cytokine mRNA was determined by polymerase chain reaction. Interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor- mRNA was detected using specific oligonucleotide primers.

Results: Interleukin-1ß mRNA was rarely found in tissues preterm without labor but was readily detected in both maternal and fetal tissues after labor, regardless of gestational age. Interleukin-6 mRNA was rare in tissues from the nonlaboring patient but was found in almost all tissues after labor. Interleukin-8 mRNA was detected in all tissues at term, both in nonlaboring and laboring patients. Tumor necrosis factor- mRNA was detected in only 20-50% of tissues after labor, and was rarely detected in the absence of labor.

Conclusions: Inflammatory cytokine mRNA is commonly expressed in human gestational tissues after normal labor and preterm labor with or without associated intrauterine infection. There was no difference in the pattern of expression of mRNA inflammatory cytokine in women who did or did not have clinically evident intrauterine infection.

Key Words: Inflammatory cytokines • preterm labor • decidua • chorion • intrauterine infection

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?