1
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Tang ID, Mallia D, Yan Q, Pe'er I, Raja A, Salleb-Aouissi A, Wapner R. A Scoping Review of Preterm Birth Risk Factors. Am J Perinatol 2024; 41:e2804-e2817. [PMID: 37748506 DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1775564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, but its etiology and risk factors are poorly understood. We undertook a scoping review to illustrate the breadth of risk factors for preterm birth that have been reported in the literature. We conducted a search in the PubMed database for articles published in the previous 5 years. We determined eligibility for this scoping review by screening titles and abstracts, followed by full-text review. We extracted odds ratios and other measures of association for each identified risk factor in the articles. A total of 2,509 unique articles were identified from the search, of which 314 were eligible for inclusion in our final analyses. We summarized risk factors and their relative impacts in the following categories: Activity, Psychological, Medical History, Toxicology, Genetics, and Vaginal Microbiome. Many risk factors for preterm birth have been reported. It is challenging to synthesize findings given the multitude of isolated risk factors that have been studied, inconsistent definitions of risk factors and outcomes, and use of different covariates in analyses. Novel methods of analyzing large datasets may promote a more comprehensive understanding of the etiology of preterm birth and ability to predict the outcome. KEY POINTS: · Preterm birth is difficult to predict.. · Preterm birth has many diverse risk factors.. · Holistic approaches may yield new insights..
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene D Tang
- Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Daniel Mallia
- Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, New York, New York
| | - Qi Yan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Itsik Pe'er
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Anita Raja
- Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, New York, New York
| | | | - Ronald Wapner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
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2
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Hasan MM, Nabi AN, Yasmin T. Comprehensive analysis predicting effects of deleterious SNPs of human progesterone receptor gene on its structure and functions: a computational approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:8002-8017. [PMID: 36166622 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2127908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Progesterone receptor plays a crucial role in the development of the mammary gland and breast cancer. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within its gene, PGR, are associated with the risk of miscarriages and preterm birth as well as many cancers across different populations. The main aim of this work is to investigate the most deleterious SNPs in the PGR gene to identify potential biomarkers for various disease susceptibility and treatments. Both sequence and structure-based computational approaches were adopted and in total 11 nsSNPs have been filtered out of 674 nsSNPs along with seven non-coding SNPs. R740Q, I744T and D746E belonged to a mutation cluster. R740Q, D746E along with S865L altered H-bond interactions within the receptor. The same mutations have been found to be associated with several cancers including uterine and breast cancer among others. It is, therefore, possible that the high-risk SNPs associated with cancers may exert their effect by causing changes in the protein structure, particularly in its bonding patterns, and thus affecting its function. In addition, seven non-coding SNPs that were located in the UTR region created a new miRNA site while three SNPs disrupted a conserved miRNA site. These high-risk SNPs can play an instrumental role in generating a dataset of the PGR gene's SNPs. Thus, the present study may pave the way to design and develop novel therapeutics for overcoming the challenges associated with certain cancers and pregnancy that result from a change in the protein structure and function due to the SNP mutations in the PGR gene.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Mahbub Hasan
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Ahm Nurun Nabi
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Tahirah Yasmin
- Population Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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3
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Vidal MS, Lintao RCV, Severino MEL, Tantengco OAG, Menon R. Spontaneous preterm birth: Involvement of multiple feto-maternal tissues and organ systems, differing mechanisms, and pathways. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1015622. [PMID: 36313741 PMCID: PMC9606232 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1015622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Survivors of preterm birth struggle with multitudes of disabilities due to improper in utero programming of various tissues and organ systems contributing to adult-onset diseases at a very early stage of their lives. Therefore, the persistent rates of low birth weight (birth weight < 2,500 grams), as well as rates of neonatal and maternal morbidities and mortalities, need to be addressed. Active research throughout the years has provided us with multiple theories regarding the risk factors, initiators, biomarkers, and clinical manifestations of spontaneous preterm birth. Fetal organs, like the placenta and fetal membranes, and maternal tissues and organs, like the decidua, myometrium, and cervix, have all been shown to uniquely respond to specific exogenous or endogenous risk factors. These uniquely contribute to dynamic changes at the molecular and cellular levels to effect preterm labor pathways leading to delivery. Multiple intervention targets in these different tissues and organs have been successfully tested in preclinical trials to reduce the individual impacts on promoting preterm birth. However, these preclinical trial data have not been effectively translated into developing biomarkers of high-risk individuals for an early diagnosis of the disease. This becomes more evident when examining the current global rate of preterm birth, which remains staggeringly high despite years of research. We postulate that studying each tissue and organ in silos, as how the majority of research has been conducted in the past years, is unlikely to address the network interaction between various systems leading to a synchronized activity during either term or preterm labor and delivery. To address current limitations, this review proposes an integrated approach to studying various tissues and organs involved in the maintenance of normal pregnancy, promotion of normal parturition, and more importantly, contributions towards preterm birth. We also stress the need for biological models that allows for concomitant observation and analysis of interactions, rather than focusing on these tissues and organ in silos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel S. Vidal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ryan C. V. Lintao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Mary Elise L. Severino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
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4
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Meher A. Role of Transcription Factors in the Management of Preterm Birth: Impact on Future Treatment Strategies. Reprod Sci 2022; 30:1408-1420. [PMID: 36131222 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01087-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth is defined as the birth of a neonate before 37 weeks of gestation and is considered as a leading cause of the under five deaths of neonates. Neonates born preterm are known to have higher perinatal mortality and morbidity with associated risks of low birth weight, respiratory distress syndrome, gastrointestinal, immunologic, central nervous system, hearing, and vision problems, cerebral palsy, and delayed development. India leads the list of countries with the greatest number of preterm births. The studies focusing on the molecular mechanisms related to the etiology of preterm birth have described the role of different transcription factors. With respect to this, transcription factors like peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR), nuclear factor kappa β (NF-kβ), nuclear erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and progesterone receptor (PR) are known to be associated with preterm labor. All these transcription factors are linked together with a common cascade involving inflammatory processes. Thus, the current review describes the possible cross-talk between these transcription factors and their therapeutic potential to prevent or manage preterm labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshaya Meher
- Central Research Laboratory, Dr. Vasantrao Pawar Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Nashik, Maharashtra, India, 422003.
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5
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Progesterone Receptor Signaling in the Uterus Is Essential for Pregnancy Success. Cells 2022; 11:cells11091474. [PMID: 35563781 PMCID: PMC9104461 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The uterus plays an essential role in the reproductive health of women and controls critical processes such as embryo implantation, placental development, parturition, and menstruation. Progesterone receptor (PR) regulates key aspects of the reproductive function of several mammalian species by directing the transcriptional program in response to progesterone (P4). P4/PR signaling controls endometrial receptivity and decidualization during early pregnancy and is critical for the establishment and outcome of a successful pregnancy. PR is also essential throughout gestation and during labor, and it exerts critical roles in the myometrium, mainly by the specialized function of its two isoforms, progesterone receptor A (PR-A) and progesterone receptor B (PR-B), which display distinct and separate roles as regulators of transcription. This review summarizes recent studies related to the roles of PR function in the decidua and myometrial tissues. We discuss how PR acquired key features in placental mammals that resulted in a highly specialized and dynamic role in the decidua. We also summarize recent literature that evaluates the myometrial PR-A/PR-B ratio at parturition and discuss the efficacy of current treatment options for preterm birth.
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Stevenson DK, Aghaeepour N, Maric I, Angst MS, Darmstadt GL, Druzin ML, Gaudilliere B, Ling XB, Moufarrej MN, Peterson LS, Quake SR, Relman DA, Snyder MP, Sylvester KG, Shaw GM, Wong RJ. Understanding how biologic and social determinants affect disparities in preterm birth and outcomes of preterm infants in the NICU. Semin Perinatol 2021; 45:151408. [PMID: 33875265 PMCID: PMC9159791 DOI: 10.1016/j.semperi.2021.151408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
To understand the disparities in spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) and/or its outcomes, biologic and social determinants as well as healthcare practice (such as those in neonatal intensive care units) should be considered. Disparities in sPTB have been largely intractable and remain obscure in most cases, despite a myriad of identified risk factors for and causes of sPTB. We still do not know how they lead to the different outcomes at different gestational ages and if they are independent of NICU practices. Here we describe an integrated approach to study the interplay between the genome and exposome, which may drive biochemistry and physiology and lead to health disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K. Stevenson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Rd, X157, Stanford, CA 94305-5415, USA,Corresponding author. (D.K. Stevenson)
| | - Nima Aghaeepour
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Ivana Maric
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Rd, X157, Stanford, CA 94305-5415, USA
| | - Martin S. Angst
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gary L. Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Rd, X157, Stanford, CA 94305-5415, USA
| | - Maurice L. Druzin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xuefeng B. Ling
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA,Clinical and Translational Research Program, Betty Irene Moore Children’s Heart Center, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto, CA 94306, USA
| | - Mira N. Moufarrej
- Department of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Laura S. Peterson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Rd, X157, Stanford, CA 94305-5415, USA
| | - Stephen R. Quake
- Department of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David A. Relman
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Stanford, CA 94305, USA,Infectious Diseases Section, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Michael P. Snyder
- Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Karl G. Sylvester
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Rd, X157, Stanford, CA 94305-5415, USA
| | - Ronald J. Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1265 Welch Rd, X157, Stanford, CA 94305-5415, USA
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7
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Fang Y, Wan C, Wen Y, Wu Z, Pan J, Zhong M, Zhong N. Autism-associated synaptic vesicle transcripts are differentially expressed in maternal plasma exosomes of physiopathologic pregnancies. J Transl Med 2021; 19:154. [PMID: 33858444 PMCID: PMC8051067 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02821-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During intrauterine development, the formation and function of synaptic vesicles (SVs) are thought to be fundamental conditions essential for normal development of the brain. Lacking advanced technology during the intrauterine period, such as longitudinal real-time monitoring of the SV-associated transcripts (SVATs), which include six pairs of lncRNA-mRNA, has limited acquisition of the dynamic gene expression profile (GEP) of SVATs. We previously reported the differential expression of SVATs in the peripheral blood of autistic children. The current study was designed to determine the dynamic profiles of differentially-expressed SVATs in circulating exosomes (EXs) derived from autistic children and pregnant women at different gestational ages. METHODS Blood samples were collected from autistic children and women with variant physiopathologic pregnancies. EXs were isolated with an ExoQuick Exosome Precipitation Kit and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blotting. The expression of lncRNAs and lncRNA-targeted mRNAs were quantified using real-time PCR. RESULTS SVAT-associated lncRNAs-mRNAs were detected in autistic children and differentially expressed from the first trimester of pregnancy to the term of delivery. Pathologic pregnancies, including spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB), preeclampsia (PE), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), were compared to normal physiologic pregnancies, and shown to exhibit specific correlations between SVAT-lncRNA and SVAT-mRNA of STX8, SLC18A2, and SYP with sPTB; SVAT-lncRNA and SVAT-mRNA of STX8 with PE; and SVAT-lncRNA and SVAT-mRNA of SV2C as well as SVAT-mRNA of SYP with GDM. CONCLUSION Variant complications in pathologic pregnancies may alter the GEP of SVATs, which is likely to affect the intrauterine development of neural circuits and consequently influence fetal brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangwu Fang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 North Guangzhou Avenue, Guangzhou, 510515, China.,Sino-US Center of Translational Medicine for Development Disabilities, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Chan Wan
- Sino-US Center of Translational Medicine for Development Disabilities, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Youlu Wen
- Department of Psychiatry, Guangdong 999 Brain Hospital, Guangzhou, 510510, China
| | - Ze Wu
- Sino-US Center of Translational Medicine for Development Disabilities, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jing Pan
- Sino-US Center of Translational Medicine for Development Disabilities, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Mei Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 1838 North Guangzhou Avenue, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
| | - Nanbert Zhong
- Sino-US Center of Translational Medicine for Development Disabilities, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China. .,Department of Human Genetics, New York State Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, 1050 Forest Hill Rd, Staten Island, NY, 10314, USA.
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8
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Ding T, Mokshagundam S, Rinaudo PF, Osteen KG, Bruner-Tran KL. Paternal developmental toxicant exposure is associated with epigenetic modulation of sperm and placental Pgr and Igf2 in a mouse model. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:864-876. [PMID: 29741588 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB), parturition prior to 37 weeks' gestation, is the leading cause of neonatal mortality. The causes of spontaneous PTB are poorly understood; however, recent studies suggest that this condition may arise as a consequence of the parental fetal environment. Specifically, we previously demonstrated that developmental exposure of male mice (F1 animals) to the environmental endocrine disruptor 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) was associated with reduced sperm quantity/quality in adulthood and control female partners frequently delivered preterm. Reproductive defects persisted in the F2 and F3 descendants, and spontaneous PTB was common. Reproductive changes in the F3 males, the first generation without direct TCDD exposure, suggest the occurrence of epigenetic alterations in the sperm, which have the potential to impact placental development. Herein, we conducted an epigenetic microarray analysis of control and F1 male-derived placentae, which identified 2171 differentially methylated regions, including the progesterone receptor (Pgr) and insulin-like growth factor (Igf2). To assess if Pgr and Igf2 DNA methylation changes were present in sperm and persist in future generations, we assessed methylation and expression of these genes in F1/F3 sperm and F3-derived placentae. Although alterations in methylation and gene expression were observed, in most tissues, only Pgr reached statistical significance. Despite the modest gene expression changes in Igf2, offspring of F1 and F3 males consistently exhibited IUGR. Taken together, our data indicate that paternal developmental TCDD exposure is associated with transgenerational placental dysfunction, suggesting epigenetic modifications within the sperm have occurred. An evaluation of additional genes and alternative epigenetic mechanisms is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianbing Ding
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Shilpa Mokshagundam
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Paolo F Rinaudo
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kevin G Osteen
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.,VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville Tennessee, USA
| | - Kaylon L Bruner-Tran
- Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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9
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Shah NM, Lai PF, Imami N, Johnson MR. Progesterone-Related Immune Modulation of Pregnancy and Labor. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:198. [PMID: 30984115 PMCID: PMC6449726 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy involves a complex interplay between maternal neuroendocrine and immunological systems in order to establish and sustain a growing fetus. It is thought that the uterus at pregnancy transitions from quiescent to laboring state in response to interactions between maternal and fetal systems at least partly via altered neuroendocrine signaling. Progesterone (P4) is a vital hormone in maternal reproductive tissues and immune cells during pregnancy. As such, P4 is widely used in clinical interventions to improve the chance of embryo implantation, as well as reduce the risk of miscarriage and premature labor. Here we review research to date that focus on the pathways through which P4 mediates its actions on both the maternal reproductive and immune system. We will dissect the role of P4 as a modulator of inflammation, both systemic and intrinsic to the uterus, during human pregnancy and labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishel M. Shah
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pei F. Lai
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nesrina Imami
- Department of Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark R. Johnson
- Department of Surgery and Cancer, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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10
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Stevenson DK, Wong RJ, Aghaeepour N, Angst MS, Darmstadt GL, DiGiulio DB, Druzin ML, Gaudilliere B, Gibbs RS, B Gould J, Katz M, Li J, Moufarrej MN, Quaintance CC, Quake SR, Relman DA, Shaw GM, Snyder MP, Wang X, Wise PH. Understanding health disparities. J Perinatol 2019; 39:354-358. [PMID: 30560947 DOI: 10.1038/s41372-018-0298-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Based upon our recent insights into the determinants of preterm birth, which is the leading cause of death in children under five years of age worldwide, we describe potential analytic frameworks that provides both a common understanding and, ultimately the basis for effective, ameliorative action. Our research on preterm birth serves as an example that the framing of any human health condition is a result of complex interactions between the genome and the exposome. New discoveries of the basic biology of pregnancy, such as the complex immunological and signaling processes that dictate the health and length of gestation, have revealed a complexity in the interactions (current and ancestral) between genetic and environmental forces. Understanding of these relationships may help reduce disparities in preterm birth and guide productive research endeavors and ultimately, effective clinical and public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Stevenson
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Ronald J Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Nima Aghaeepour
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Martin S Angst
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Gary L Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Daniel B DiGiulio
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Infectious Diseases Section, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, 94306, USA
| | - Maurice L Druzin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ronald S Gibbs
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Gould
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michael Katz
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Department of Genetics, Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Mira N Moufarrej
- Departments of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Cecele C Quaintance
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Stephen R Quake
- Departments of Bioengineering and Applied Physics, Stanford University and Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - David A Relman
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.,Infectious Diseases Section, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, 94306, USA
| | - Gary M Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Paul H Wise
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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11
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Li J, Hong X, Mesiano S, Muglia LJ, Wang X, Snyder M, Stevenson DK, Shaw GM. Natural Selection Has Differentiated the Progesterone Receptor among Human Populations. Am J Hum Genet 2018; 103:45-57. [PMID: 29937092 PMCID: PMC6035283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The progesterone receptor (PGR) plays a central role in maintaining pregnancy and is significantly associated with medical conditions such as preterm birth that affects 12.6% of all the births in U.S. PGR has been evolving rapidly since the common ancestor of human and chimpanzee, and we herein investigated evolutionary dynamics of PGR during recent human migration and population differentiation. Our study revealed substantial population differentiation at the PGR locus driven by natural selection, where very recent positive selection in East Asians has substantially decreased its genetic diversity by nearly fixing evolutionarily novel alleles. On the contrary, in European populations, the PGR locus has been promoted to a highly polymorphic state likely due to balancing selection. Integrating transcriptome data across multiple tissue types together with large-scale genome-wide association data for preterm birth, our study demonstrated the consequence of the selection event in East Asians on remodeling PGR expression specifically in the ovary and determined a significant association of early spontaneous preterm birth with the evolutionarily selected variants. To reconstruct its evolutionary trajectory on the human lineage, we observed substantial differentiation between modern and archaic humans at the PGR locus, including fixation of a deleterious missense allele in the Neanderthal genome that was later introgressed in modern human populations. Taken together, our study revealed substantial evolutionary innovation in PGR even during very recent human evolution, and its different forms among human populations likely result in differential susceptibility to progesterone-associated disease conditions including preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Li
- The March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xiumei Hong
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sam Mesiano
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Louis J Muglia
- Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Departments of Pediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Xiaobin Wang
- Center on the Early Life Origins of Disease, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Pediatrics, John Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Michael Snyder
- Stanford Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - David K Stevenson
- The March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Gary M Shaw
- The March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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12
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Strauss JF, Romero R, Gomez-Lopez N, Haymond-Thornburg H, Modi BP, Teves ME, Pearson LN, York TP, Schenkein HA. Spontaneous preterm birth: advances toward the discovery of genetic predisposition. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2018; 218:294-314.e2. [PMID: 29248470 PMCID: PMC5834399 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Evidence from family and twin-based studies provide strong support for a significant contribution of maternal and fetal genetics to the timing of parturition and spontaneous preterm birth. However, there has been only modest success in the discovery of genes predisposing to preterm birth, despite increasing sophistication of genetic and genomic technology. In contrast, DNA variants associated with other traits/diseases have been identified. For example, there is overwhelming evidence that suggests that the nature and intensity of an inflammatory response in adults and children are under genetic control. Because inflammation is often invoked as an etiologic factor in spontaneous preterm birth, the question of whether spontaneous preterm birth has a genetic predisposition in the case of pathologic inflammation has been of long-standing interest to investigators. Here, we review various genetic approaches used for the discovery of preterm birth genetic variants in the context of inflammation-associated spontaneous preterm birth. Candidate gene studies have sought genetic variants that regulate inflammation in the mother and fetus; however, the promising findings have often not been replicated. Genome-wide association studies, an approach to the identification of chromosomal loci responsible for complex traits, have also not yielded compelling evidence for DNA variants predisposing to preterm birth. A recent genome-wide association study that included a large number of White women (>40,000) revealed that maternal loci contribute to preterm birth. Although none of these loci harbored genes directly related to innate immunity, the results were replicated. Another approach to identify DNA variants predisposing to preterm birth is whole exome sequencing, which examines the DNA sequence of protein-coding regions of the genome. A recent whole exome sequencing study identified rare mutations in genes encoding for proteins involved in the negative regulation (dampening) of the innate immune response (eg, CARD6, CARD8, NLRP10, NLRP12, NOD2, TLR10) and antimicrobial peptide/proteins (eg, DEFB1, MBL2). These findings support the concept that preterm labor, at least in part, has an inflammatory etiology, which can be induced by pathogens (ie, intraamniotic infection) or "danger signals" (alarmins) released during cellular stress or necrosis (ie, sterile intraamniotic inflammation). These findings support the notion that preterm birth has a polygenic basis that involves rare mutations or damaging variants in multiple genes involved in innate immunity and host defense mechanisms against microbes and their noxious products. An overlap among the whole exome sequencing-identified genes and other inflammatory conditions associated with preterm birth, such as periodontal disease and inflammatory bowel disease, was observed, which suggests a shared genetic substrate for these conditions. We propose that whole exome sequencing, as well as whole genome sequencing, is the most promising approach for the identification of functionally significant genetic variants responsible for spontaneous preterm birth, at least in the context of pathologic inflammation. The identification of genes that contribute to preterm birth by whole exome sequencing, or whole genome sequencing, promises to yield valuable population-specific biomarkers to identify the risk for spontaneous preterm birth and potential strategies to mitigate such a risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome F Strauss
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA; Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA.
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Hannah Haymond-Thornburg
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
| | - Bhavi P Modi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Maria E Teves
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
| | - Laurel N Pearson
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - Timothy P York
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA; Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA
| | - Harvey A Schenkein
- Department of Periodontics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, Richmond, VA
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13
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Bustos ML, Caritis SN, Jablonski KA, Reddy UM, Sorokin Y, Manuck T, Varner MW, Wapner RJ, Iams JD, Carpenter MW, Peaceman AM, Mercer BM, Sciscione A, Rouse DJ, Ramin SM. The association among cytochrome P450 3A, progesterone receptor polymorphisms, plasma 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate concentrations, and spontaneous preterm birth. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2017; 217:369.e1-369.e9. [PMID: 28522317 PMCID: PMC5896763 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2017.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infants born <37 weeks' gestation are of public health concern since complications associated with preterm birth are the leading cause of mortality in children <5 years of age and a major cause of morbidity and lifelong disability. The administration of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate reduces preterm birth by 33% in women with history of spontaneous preterm birth. We demonstrated previously that plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate vary widely among pregnant women and that women with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations in the lowest quartile had spontaneous preterm birth rates of 40% vs rates of 25% in those women with higher concentrations. Thus, plasma concentrations are an important factor in determining drug efficacy but the reason 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations vary so much is unclear. Predominantly, 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate is metabolized by CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 enzymes. OBJECTIVE We sought to: (1) determine the relation between 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations and single nucleotide polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and CYP3A5; (2) test the association between progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms and spontaneous preterm birth; and (3) test whether the association between plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate and spontaneous preterm birth varied by progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms. STUDY DESIGN In this secondary analysis, we evaluated genetic polymorphism in 268 pregnant women treated with 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate, who participated in a placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the benefit of omega-3 supplementation in women with history of spontaneous preterm birth. Trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were measured between 25-28 weeks of gestation after a minimum of 5 injections of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. We extracted DNA from maternal blood samples and genotyped the samples using TaqMan (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays for the following single nucleotide polymorphisms: CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A4*1G, CYP3A4*22, and CYP3A5*3; and rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 for progesteronereceptor. We adjusted for prepregnancy body mass index, race, and treatment group in a multivariable analysis. Differences in the plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate by genotype were evaluated for each CYP single nucleotide polymorphism using general linear models. The association between progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms and frequency of spontaneous preterm birth was tested using logistic regression. A logistic model also tested interaction between 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate concentrations with each progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphism for the outcome of spontaneous preterm birth. RESULTS The association between CYP single nucleotide polymorphisms *22, *1G, *1B, and *3 and trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate was not statistically significant (P = .68, .44, .08, and .44, respectively). In an adjusted logistic regression model, progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 were not associated with the frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (P = .29, .10, .76, .09, and .43, respectively). Low trough plasma concentrations of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate were statistically associated with a higher frequency of spontaneous preterm birth (odds ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence ratio, 0.61-0.99; P = .04 for trend across quartiles), however no significant interaction with the progesterone receptor single nucleotide polymorphisms rs578029, rs471767, rs666553, rs503362, and rs500760 was observed (P = .13, .08, .10, .08, and .13, respectively). CONCLUSION The frequency of recurrent spontaneous preterm birth appears to be associated with trough 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations. However, the wide variation in trough 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate plasma concentrations is not attributable to polymorphisms in CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genes. Progesterone receptor polymorphisms do not predict efficacy of 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate. The limitations of this secondary analysis include that we had a relative small sample size (n = 268) and race was self-reported by the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha L Bustos
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Steve N Caritis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
| | | | - Uma M Reddy
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD
| | | | - Tracy Manuck
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Brian M Mercer
- Case Western Reserve University-MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
| | | | | | - Susan M Ramin
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
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14
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Tiwari D, Bose PD, Sultana R, Das CR, Bose S. Preterm delivery and associated negative pregnancy outcome - A tale of faulty progesterone receptor signalling pathway and linked derailed immunomodulation: A study from Northeast India. J Reprod Immunol 2016; 118:76-84. [PMID: 27728856 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2016.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/05/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Preterm delivery (PTD) is one of the potent contributor of neonatal mortality and morbidity, and the underlying cause in some situation is elusive. This study attempts to delineate the association of deregulation in progesterone receptor (PR) pathway and deleterious immune responses in predisposing patients to PTD in Northeast India, a region with high rate of PTD cases. A total of 109 cases of PTD and 100 term delivery cases were enrolled with all clinical details. The PTD cases were stratified based on gestation age at delivery. The differential expression of PR and key downstream effectors and cytokines were evaluated for correlation with PTD susceptibility, gestational period, and pregnancy outcome. The results indicated a sharp downregulation in PR expression is associated with PTD susceptibility, lower gestational period and negative pregnancy outcome. The PR downstream effector PIBF was also found to be downregulated in PTD, and is associated with gestational period and negative pregnancy outcome. The downregulation of PR and PIBF expression was found to correlate with a predominant Th1 state with higher CD56+NK cell counts and pro-inflammatory burst lead by hyper TNF-α, NF-kB and IFNγ expression, and complicated by lower IL10 expression, contributing to PTD as well as negative pregnancy outcome in the PTD cases. TNF-α expression in placenta inversely correlated with placental PR expression. To conclude, deregulation in PR pathway is a hallmark of preterm delivery and negative pregnancy outcome. Differential expression of several markers such as PR, PIBF and TNF-α has prognostic significance, and hence is of clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diptika Tiwari
- Department of Biological Science, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India; Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, CCSU, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Purabi Deka Bose
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, CCSU, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Rizwana Sultana
- Department of Biological Science, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Chandana Ray Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India; Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Sujoy Bose
- Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India.
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