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Joo E, Hong S, Park KH, Kim HJ, Lee MJ, Shin S. Predictive potential of various plasma inflammation-, angiogenesis-, and extracellular matrix remodeling-associated mediators for intra-amniotic inflammation and/or microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity in preterm labor. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2024; 310:413-426. [PMID: 38329550 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-024-07378-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine whether various inflammatory-, angiogenic/anti-angiogenic-, and extracellular matrix remodeling-associated proteins in plasma, alone or in combination with conventional blood-based markers, can predict intra-amniotic inflammation and/or microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (IAI/MIAC) in women with spontaneous preterm labor (PTL). METHODS A total of 193 singleton pregnant women with PTL (23-33 weeks) were included in this retrospective cohort study. Plasma samples were obtained at the time of amniocentesis. Amniotic fluid (AF) was cultured for microorganism detection and consequent MIAC diagnosis. IL-6 levels were determined in AF and used to identify IAI (AF IL-6 ≥ 2.6 ng/mL). Endostatin, haptoglobin, IGFBP-2/3, LBP, M-CSF, MMP-2/8, pentraxin 3, PlGF, S100A8/A9, and VEGFR-1 levels were assayed in plasma samples by ELISA. CRP levels and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were measured. RESULTS Plasma LBP, MMP-8, and S100A8/A9 levels, CRP levels, and NLR were significantly higher, and plasma IGFBP-2 and MMP-2 levels were significantly lower in women with IAI/MIAC than in those without this condition, whereas no baseline variables differed significantly between the two groups. Using a stepwise regression analysis, a noninvasive prediction model for IAI/MIAC was developed, which included plasma LBP, MMP-2, and MMP-8 levels (area under the curve [AUC], 0.785). The AUC for this prediction model was significantly or borderline greater than that of any single factor included in the model. CONCLUSIONS IGFBP-2, LBP, MMP-2, MMP-8, and S100A8/A9 may represent valuable plasma biomarkers for predicting IAI/MIAC in women with PTL. Combination of LBP, MMP-2, and MMP-8 expression data can significantly improve the predictive potential for IAI/MIAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunwook Joo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Seongnam, Kyeonggido, 463-707, Korea
| | - Subeen Hong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyo Hoon Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Seongnam, Kyeonggido, 463-707, Korea.
| | - Hyeon Ji Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Seongnam, Kyeonggido, 463-707, Korea
| | - Min Jung Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 82, Gumi-ro 173 Beon-gil, Seongnam, Kyeonggido, 463-707, Korea
| | - Sue Shin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea
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Jung E, Romero R, Suksai M, Gotsch F, Chaemsaithong P, Erez O, Conde-Agudelo A, Gomez-Lopez N, Berry SM, Meyyazhagan A, Yoon BH. Clinical chorioamnionitis at term: definition, pathogenesis, microbiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:S807-S840. [PMID: 38233317 PMCID: PMC11288098 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Clinical chorioamnionitis, the most common infection-related diagnosis in labor and delivery units, is an antecedent of puerperal infection and neonatal sepsis. The condition is suspected when intrapartum fever is associated with two other maternal and fetal signs of local or systemic inflammation (eg, maternal tachycardia, uterine tenderness, maternal leukocytosis, malodorous vaginal discharge or amniotic fluid, and fetal tachycardia). Clinical chorioamnionitis is a syndrome caused by intraamniotic infection, sterile intraamniotic inflammation (inflammation without bacteria), or systemic maternal inflammation induced by epidural analgesia. In cases of uncertainty, a definitive diagnosis can be made by analyzing amniotic fluid with methods to detect bacteria (Gram stain, culture, or microbial nucleic acid) and inflammation (white blood cell count, glucose concentration, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, matrix metalloproteinase-8). The most common microorganisms are Ureaplasma species, and polymicrobial infections occur in 70% of cases. The fetal attack rate is low, and the rate of positive neonatal blood cultures ranges between 0.2% and 4%. Intrapartum antibiotic administration is the standard treatment to reduce neonatal sepsis. Treatment with ampicillin and gentamicin have been recommended by professional societies, although other antibiotic regimens, eg, cephalosporins, have been used. Given the importance of Ureaplasma species as a cause of intraamniotic infection, consideration needs to be given to the administration of antimicrobial agents effective against these microorganisms such as azithromycin or clarithromycin. We have used the combination of ceftriaxone, clarithromycin, and metronidazole, which has been shown to eradicate intraamniotic infection with microbiologic studies. Routine testing of neonates born to affected mothers for genital mycoplasmas could improve the detection of neonatal sepsis. Clinical chorioamnionitis is associated with decreased uterine activity, failure to progress in labor, and postpartum hemorrhage; however, clinical chorioamnionitis by itself is not an indication for cesarean delivery. Oxytocin is often administered for labor augmentation, and it is prudent to have uterotonic agents at hand to manage postpartum hemorrhage. Infants born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis near term are at risk for early-onset neonatal sepsis and for long-term disability such as cerebral palsy. A frontier is the noninvasive assessment of amniotic fluid to diagnose intraamniotic inflammation with a transcervical amniotic fluid collector and a rapid bedside test for IL-8 for patients with ruptured membranes. This approach promises to improve diagnostic accuracy and to provide a basis for antimicrobial administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunjung Jung
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States 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.
| | - Manaphat Suksai
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Francesca Gotsch
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Piya Chaemsaithong
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mahidol University, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Offer Erez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Agustin Conde-Agudelo
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Stanley M Berry
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Arun Meyyazhagan
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Centre of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Bo Hyun Yoon
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Balci CN, Acar N. NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, the hidden balance in pregnancy: A comprehensive review. J Reprod Immunol 2024; 161:104173. [PMID: 38043434 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2023.104173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The balance of the inflammatory response is indispensable during pregnancy. Inflammasomes are the cytosolic supramolecular protein complexes activated by pattern recognition receptors. These receptors recognize the pathogen and damage/danger-associated molecular patterns. NLRP3 inflammasome complex consists mainly of NLRP3 (leucine-rich repeat-containing and pyrin domain-containing protein 3), a cytosolic sensor molecule, ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD) protein and a cysteine protease pro-caspase-1 as an effector molecule. This complex has a role in producing inflammatory cytokines, interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 18, and inflammasome-dependent programmed cell death pathway pyroptosis. In this review, we focused on and summarised the NLRP3 inflammasome and its roles in normal and pathological pregnancies. The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway influences endometrial receptivity and embryo invasion by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Abnormal inflammasome activation in the endometrium may adversely affect endometrial receptivity. In addition, NLRP3 inflammasome pathway overactivation may mediate the abnormal inflammatory response at the maternal-fetal interface and be associated with pregnancy complications, such as recurrent implantation failure, pregnancy loss, pre-term birth and pre-eclampsia. Therefore, targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway could develop a new therapeutic approach to prevent the aforementioned pregnancy pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cemre Nur Balci
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Nuray Acar
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey.
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Musilova I, Stranik J, Jacobsson B, Kacerovsky M. Antibiotic treatment reduces the intensity of intraamniotic inflammation in pregnancies with idiopathic vaginal bleeding in the second trimester of pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:245.e1-245.e14. [PMID: 37516399 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic bleeding in the second trimester of pregnancy complicates <1% of all pregnancies. This pregnancy complication can be caused by alterations in local hemostasis in the decidua due to infection/inflammation in the choriodecidual niche. This condition is associated with intraamniotic inflammatory complications. Antibiotic therapy effectively reduces the intensity of intraamniotic inflammation in certain pregnancy pathologies. However, whether antibiotic administration can reduce the intensity of the intraamniotic inflammatory response or eradicate microorganisms in patients with idiopathic bleeding during the second trimester of pregnancy remains unclear. OBJECTIVE This study primarily aimed to determine whether antimicrobial agents can reduce the magnitude of intraamniotic inflammation in patients with idiopathic bleeding in the second trimester of pregnancy by assessing the concentration of interleukin-6 in the amniotic fluid before and after 7 days of antibiotic treatment. The secondary aim was to determine whether treatment with a combination of antibiotics altered the microbial load of Ureaplasma species DNA in amniotic fluid. STUDY DESIGN This retrospective cohort study included singleton-gestation patients with idiopathic bleeding between 15+0 and 27+6 weeks who underwent transabdominal amniocentesis at the time of admission. Follow-up amniocentesis was performed in a subset of patients unless abortion or delivery occurred earlier. Concentrations of interleukin-6 were measured in the amniotic fluid samples, and the presence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was assessed using culture and molecular microbiological methods. Intraamniotic inflammation was defined as an interleukin-6 concentration ≥3000 pg/mL in the amniotic fluid samples. RESULTS A total of 36 patients with idiopathic bleeding in the second trimester of pregnancy were included. All the patients underwent initial amniocentesis. Patients with intraamniotic inflammation (n=25) were treated using a combination of antibiotics consisting of intravenous ceftriaxone, intravenous metronidazole, and peroral clarithromycin. The patients without intraamniotic inflammation (n=11) were treated expectantly. In total, 25 patients delivered 7 days after admission. All patients with intraamniotic inflammation at the initial amniocentesis who delivered after 7 days underwent follow-up amniocentesis. Treatment with antibiotics decreased the interleukin-6 concentration in the amniotic fluid at follow-up amniocentesis compared with that at the initial amniocentesis in patients with intraamniotic inflammation (median [interquartile range]: 3457 pg/mL [2493-13,203] vs 19,812 pg/mL [11,973-34,518]; P=.0001). Amniotic fluid samples with Ureaplasma species DNA had a lower microbial load at the time of follow-up amniocentesis compared with the initial amniocentesis (median [interquartile range]: 1.5×105 copies DNA/mL [1.3×105-1.7×105] vs 8.0×107 copies DNA/mL [6.7×106-1.6×108]; P=.02). CONCLUSION Antibiotic therapy was associated with reduced intraamniotic inflammation in patients with idiopathic bleeding in the second trimester complicated by intraamniotic inflammation. Moreover, antibiotic treatment has been associated with a reduction in the microbial load of Ureaplasma species DNA in the amniotic fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Musilova
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Most, Krajská zdravotní a.s., Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Stranik
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Science, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Gothenburg, Sweden; Division of Health Data and Digitalisation, Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marian Kacerovsky
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital Most, Krajská zdravotní a.s., Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.
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Hindle S, Girard S, Cote HCF, Money D, Mann E, Boucoiran I. Circulating levels of inflammatory mediators in pregnant people living with HIV according to antiretroviral therapy regimen. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1282291. [PMID: 38260915 PMCID: PMC10801078 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1282291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy, particularly protease-inhibitor-based regimens (PI), has been linked to adverse outcomes including preterm delivery. As this outcome may be related to systemic inflammation, we sought to characterize inflammatory profiles of pregnant people living with HIV (PLWH) by comparing their levels of inflammatory mediators at two timepoints during pregnancy according to ART regimen, and to HIV-negative controls. Methods Second and third trimester samples from 144 pregnant PLWH treated with ART and 24 HIV-uninfected controls were retrieved from the CARMA-PREG cohort. Peripheral plasma levels of 12 inflammatory mediators previously linked to HIV infection and/or poor pregnancy outcomes were quantified by multiplex assay: HMGB1, GM-CSF, IFNα, IFNβ, IFNγ, IL-10, IL-17, IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, AGP, and CRP. Levels were compared by ART regimen and HIV status. Results Adjusted analyses showed that PLWH have higher levels of AGP throughout pregnancy and lower levels of IFNγ and IL-1β during the second trimester. PI-based regimens are associated with significantly higher levels of IFNα and IL-17 during the second trimester and IFNα, CRP, HMGB1, and IFNβ during the third trimester compared to InSTI-based regimens. The PI-subgroup was associated with preterm delivery and higher HIV-1 viral load. Discussion Our results suggest that PI-based regimens are associated with a pro-inflammatory and antiviral immunological response and a high viral load, which may be a mechanism through which PI-based regimens increase the risk of preterm delivery. Further investigations into cellular mechanisms and pro-inflammatory cascades leading to preterm delivery are necessary to support this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Hindle
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Girard
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Helene C. F. Cote
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Deborah Money
- Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Evelyn Mann
- Women’s Health Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Oak Tree Clinic, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Isabelle Boucoiran
- CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Galaz J, Romero R, Greenberg JM, Theis KR, Arenas-Hernandez M, Xu Y, Farias-Jofre M, Miller D, Kanninen T, Garcia-Flores V, Gomez-Lopez N. Host-microbiome interactions in distinct subsets of preterm labor and birth. iScience 2023; 26:108341. [PMID: 38047079 PMCID: PMC10692673 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth, the leading cause of perinatal morbidity, often follows premature labor, a syndrome whose prevention remains a challenge. To better understand the relationship between premature labor and host-microbiome interactions, we conducted a mechanistic investigation using three preterm birth models. We report that intra-amniotic delivery of LPS triggers inflammatory responses in the amniotic cavity and cervico-vaginal microenvironment, causing vaginal microbiome changes and signs of active labor. Intra-amniotic IL-1α delivery causes a moderate inflammatory response in the amniotic cavity but increasing inflammation in the cervico-vaginal space, leading to vaginal microbiome disruption and signs of active labor. Conversely, progesterone action blockade by RU-486 triggers local immune responses accompanying signs of active labor without altering the vaginal microbiome. Preterm labor facilitates ascension of cervico-vaginal bacteria into the amniotic cavity, regardless of stimulus. This study provides compelling mechanistic insights into the dynamic host-microbiome interactions within the cervico-vaginal microenvironment that accompany premature labor and birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Galaz
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Jonathan M. Greenberg
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Kevin R. Theis
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Yi Xu
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Marcelo Farias-Jofre
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Derek Miller
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Tomi Kanninen
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Valeria Garcia-Flores
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Lee KN, Park KH, Ahn K, Im EM, Oh E, Cho I. Extracellular matrix-related and serine protease proteins in the amniotic fluid of women with early preterm labor: Association with spontaneous preterm birth, intra-amniotic inflammation, and microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 90:e13736. [PMID: 37382175 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM We aimed to determine whether altered levels of various extracellular matrix (ECM)-related and serine protease proteins in the amniotic fluid (AF) are associated with imminent spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB; ≤7 days) and intra-amniotic inflammation and/or microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (IAI/MIAC) in women with early preterm labor (PTL). METHOD OF STUDY This retrospective cohort study included 252 women with singleton pregnancies undergoing transabdominal amniocentesis who demonstrated PTL (24-31 weeks). The AF was cultured for microorganism detection to characterize MIAC. IL-6 concentrations were determined in the AF samples to identify IAI (≥2.6 ng/mL). The following mediators were measured in the AF samples using ELISA: kallistatin, lumican, MMP-2, SPARC, TGFBI, and uPA. RESULTS Kallistatin, MMP-2, TGFBI, and uPA levels were significantly higher and SPARC and lumican levels were significantly lower in the AF of women who spontaneously delivered within 7 days than in the AF of those who delivered after 7 days; the levels of the first five mediators were independent of baseline clinical variables. In the multivariate analysis, elevated levels of kallistatin, MMP-2, TGFBI, and uPA and low levels of lumican and SPARC in the AF were significantly associated with IAI/MIAC and MIAC, even after adjusting for the gestational age at sampling. The areas under the curves of the aforementioned biomarkers ranged from 0.58 to 0.87 for the diagnoses of each of the corresponding endpoints. CONCLUSION ECM-related (SPARC, TGFBI, lumican, and MMP-2) and serine protease (kallistatin and uPA) proteins in the AF are involved in preterm parturition and regulation of intra-amniotic inflammatory/infectious responses in PTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyong-No Lee
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Kyo Hoon Park
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Kwanghee Ahn
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Eun Mi Im
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Eunji Oh
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Iseop Cho
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
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Richardson L, Kammala AK, Kim S, Lam PY, Truong N, Radnaa E, Urrabaz-Garza R, Han A, Menon R. Development of oxidative stress-associated disease models using feto-maternal interface organ-on-a-chip. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23000. [PMID: 37249377 PMCID: PMC10259454 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300531r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation arising from cellular derangements at the fetal membrane-decidual interface (feto-maternal interface [FMi]) is a major antecedent to preterm birth (PTB). However, it is impractical to study OS-associated FMi disease state during human pregnancy, and thus it is difficult to develop strategies to reduce the incidences of PTB. A microfluidic organ-on-chip model (FMi-OOC) that mimics the in vivo structure and functions of FMi in vitro was developed to address this challenge. The FMi-OOC contained fetal (amnion epithelial, mesenchymal, and chorion) and maternal (decidua) cells cultured in four compartments interconnected by arrays of microchannels to allow independent but interconnected co-cultivation. Using this model, we tested the effects of OS and inflammation on both fetal (fetal → maternal) and maternal (maternal → fetal) sides of the FMi and determined their differential impact on PTB-associated pathways. OS was induced using cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure. The impacts of OS were assessed by measuring cell viability, disruption of immune homeostasis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), development of senescence, and inflammation. CSE propagated (LC/MS-MS analysis for nicotine) over a 72-hour period from the maternal to fetal side, or vice versa. However, they caused two distinct pathological effects on the maternal and fetal cells. Specifically, fetal OS induced cellular pathologies and inflammation, whereas maternal OS caused immune intolerance. The pronounced impact produced by the fetus supports the hypothesis that fetal inflammatory response is a mechanistic trigger for parturition. The FMi disease-associated changes identified in the FMi-OOC suggest the unique capability of this in vitro model in testing in utero conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Richardson
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ananth Kumar Kammala
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Sungjin Kim
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Po Yi Lam
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Nina Truong
- John Sealy School of Medicine at Galveston, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Enkhtuya Radnaa
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Rheanna Urrabaz-Garza
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Arum Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA5
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
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9
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Gallo DM, Romero R, Bosco M, Gotsch F, Jaiman S, Jung E, Suksai M, Ramón Y Cajal CL, Yoon BH, Chaiworapongsa T. Meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023; 228:S1158-S1178. [PMID: 37012128 PMCID: PMC10291742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.11.1283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Green-stained amniotic fluid, often referred to as meconium-stained amniotic fluid, is present in 5% to 20% of patients in labor and is considered an obstetric hazard. The condition has been attributed to the passage of fetal colonic content (meconium), intraamniotic bleeding with the presence of heme catabolic products, or both. The frequency of green-stained amniotic fluid increases as a function of gestational age, reaching approximately 27% in post-term gestation. Green-stained amniotic fluid during labor has been associated with fetal acidemia (umbilical artery pH <7.00), neonatal respiratory distress, and seizures as well as cerebral palsy. Hypoxia is widely considered a mechanism responsible for fetal defecation and meconium-stained amniotic fluid; however, most fetuses with meconium-stained amniotic fluid do not have fetal acidemia. Intraamniotic infection/inflammation has emerged as an important factor in meconium-stained amniotic fluid in term and preterm gestations, as patients with these conditions have a higher rate of clinical chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis. The precise mechanisms linking intraamniotic inflammation to green-stained amniotic fluid have not been determined, but the effects of oxidative stress in heme catabolism have been implicated. Two randomized clinical trials suggest that antibiotic administration decreases the rate of clinical chorioamnionitis in patients with meconium-stained amniotic fluid. A serious complication of meconium-stained amniotic fluid is meconium aspiration syndrome. This condition develops in 5% of cases presenting with meconium-stained amniotic fluid and is a severe complication typical of term newborns. Meconium aspiration syndrome is attributed to the mechanical and chemical effects of aspirated meconium coupled with local and systemic fetal inflammation. Routine naso/oropharyngeal suctioning and tracheal intubation in cases of meconium-stained amniotic fluid have not been shown to be beneficial and are no longer recommended in obstetrical practice. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials suggested that amnioinfusion may decrease the rate of meconium aspiration syndrome. Histologic examination of the fetal membranes for meconium has been invoked in medical legal litigation to time the occurrence of fetal injury. However, inferences have been largely based on the results of in vitro experiments, and extrapolation of such findings to the clinical setting warrants caution. Fetal defecation throughout gestation appears to be a physiologic phenomenon based on ultrasound as well as in observations in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahiana M Gallo
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidad Del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States 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.
| | - Mariachiara Bosco
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Francesca Gotsch
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Sunil Jaiman
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Eunjung Jung
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Manaphat Suksai
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Carlos López Ramón Y Cajal
- Unit of Prenatal Diagnosis, Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital, Vigo, Spain
| | - Bo Hyun Yoon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
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10
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Gervasi MT, Romero R, Cainelli E, Veronese P, Tran MR, Jung E, Suksai M, Bosco M, Gotsch F. Intra-amniotic inflammation in the mid-trimester of pregnancy is a risk factor for neuropsychological disorders in childhood. J Perinat Med 2023; 51:363-378. [PMID: 36173676 PMCID: PMC10010737 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2022-0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Intra-amniotic inflammation is a subclinical condition frequently caused by either microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity or sterile inflammatory stimuli, e.g., alarmins. An accumulating body of evidence supports a role for maternal immune activation in the genesis of fetal neuroinflammation and the occurrence of neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy, schizophrenia, and autism. The objective of this study was to determine whether fetal exposure to mid-trimester intra-amniotic inflammation is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in children eight to 12 years of age. METHODS This is a retrospective case-control study comprising 20 children with evidence of prenatal exposure to intra-amniotic inflammation in the mid-trimester and 20 controls matched for gestational age at amniocentesis and at delivery. Amniotic fluid samples were tested for concentrations of interleukin-6 and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10, for bacteria by culture and molecular microbiologic methods as well as by polymerase chain reaction for eight viruses. Neuropsychological testing of children, performed by two experienced psychologists, assessed cognitive and behavioral domains. Neuropsychological dysfunction was defined as the presence of an abnormal score (<2 standard deviations) on at least two cognitive tasks. RESULTS Neuropsychological dysfunction was present in 45% (9/20) of children exposed to intra-amniotic inflammation but in only 10% (2/20) of those in the control group (p=0.03). The relative risk (RR) of neuropsychological dysfunction conferred by amniotic fluid inflammation remained significant after adjusting for gestational age at delivery [aRR=4.5 (1.07-16.7)]. Of the 11 children diagnosed with neuropsychological dysfunction, nine were delivered at term and eight of them had mothers with intra-amniotic inflammation. Children exposed to intra-amniotic inflammation were found to have abnormalities in neuropsychological tasks evaluating complex skills, e.g., auditory attention, executive functions, and social skills, whereas the domains of reasoning, language, and memory were not affected in the cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS Asymptomatic sterile intra-amniotic inflammation in the mid-trimester of pregnancy, followed by a term birth, can still confer to the offspring a substantial risk for neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood. Early recognition and treatment of maternal immune activation in pregnancy may be a strategy for the prevention of subsequent neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Gervasi
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University Hospital of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Elisa Cainelli
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Paola Veronese
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, AOPD, Padua, Italy
| | - Maria Rosa Tran
- Gynaecology and Obstetrics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University Hospital of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | - Eunjung Jung
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Manaphat Suksai
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Mariachiara Bosco
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Francesca Gotsch
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, USA, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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11
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Phung J, Wang C, Reeders J, Zakar T, Paul JW, Tyagi S, Pennell CE, Smith R. Preterm labor with and without chorioamnionitis is associated with activation of myometrial inflammatory networks: a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023; 228:330.e1-330.e18. [PMID: 36002050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of preterm labor is associated with inflammation. Previous studies suggested that this is distinct from the inflammation observed during term labor. Our previous work on 44 genes differentially expressed in myometria in term labor demonstrated a different pattern of gene expression from that observed in preterm laboring and nonlaboring myometria. We found increased expression of inflammatory genes in preterm labor associated with chorioamnionitis, but in the absence of chorioamnionitis observed no difference in gene expression in preterm myometria regardless of laboring status, suggesting that preterm labor is associated with different myometrial genes or signals originating from outside the myometrium. Given that a small subset of genes were assessed, this study aimed to use RNA sequencing and bioinformatics to assess the myometrial transcriptome during preterm labor in the presence and absence of chorioamnionitis. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to comprehensively determine protein-coding transcriptomic differences between preterm nonlaboring and preterm laboring myometria with and without chorioamnionitis. STUDY DESIGN Myometria were collected at cesarean delivery from preterm patients not in labor (n=16) and preterm patients in labor with chorioamnionitis (n=8) or without chorioamnionitis (n=6). Extracted RNA from myometrial tissue was prepared and sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq. Gene expression was quantified by mapping the sequence reads to the human reference genome (hg38). Differential gene expression analysis, gene set enrichment analysis, and weighted gene coexpression network analysis were used to comprehensively interrogate transcriptomic differences and their associated biology. RESULTS Differential gene expression analysis comparing preterm patients in labor with chorioamnionitis with preterm patients not in labor identified 931 differentially expressed genes, whereas comparing preterm patients in labor without chorioamnionitis with preterm patients not in labor identified no statistically significant gene expression changes. In contrast, gene set enrichment analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis demonstrated that preterm labor with and without chorioamnionitis was associated with enrichment of pathways involved in activation of the innate immune system and inflammation, and activation of G protein-coupled receptors. Key genes identified included chemotactic CYP4F3, CXCL8, DOCK2, and IRF1 in preterm labor with chorioamnionitis and CYP4F3, FCAR, CHUK, and IL13RA2 in preterm labor without chorioamnionitis. There was marked overlap in the pathways enriched in both preterm labor subtypes. CONCLUSION Differential gene expression analysis demonstrated that myometria from preterm patients in labor without chorioamnionitis and preterm patients not in labor were transcriptionally similar, whereas the presence of chorioamnionitis was associated with marked gene changes. In contrast, comprehensive bioinformatic analysis indicated that preterm labor with or without chorioamnionitis was associated with innate immune activation. All causes of preterm labor were associated with activation of the innate immune system, but this was more marked in the presence of chorioamnionitis. These data suggest that anti-inflammatory therapy may be relevant in managing preterm labor of all etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Phung
- Department of Maternity and Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia; Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
| | - Carol Wang
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Jocelyn Reeders
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Tamas Zakar
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Jonathan W Paul
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Sonika Tyagi
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Craig E Pennell
- Department of Maternity and Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia; Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Roger Smith
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
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12
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Kyathanahalli C, Snedden M, Hirsch E. Is human labor at term an inflammatory condition?†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:23-40. [PMID: 36173900 PMCID: PMC10060716 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Parturition at term in normal pregnancy follows a predictable sequence of events. There is some evidence that a state of inflammation prevails in the reproductive tissues during labor at term, but it is uncertain whether this phenomenon is the initiating signal for parturition. The absence of a clear temporal sequence of inflammatory events prior to labor casts doubt on the concept that normal human labor at term is primarily the result of an inflammatory cascade. This review examines evidence linking parturition and inflammation in order to address whether inflammation is a cause of labor, a consequence of labor, or a separate but related phenomenon. Finally, we identify and suggest ways to reconcile inconsistencies regarding definitions of labor onset in published research, which may contribute to the variability in conclusions regarding the genesis and maintenance of parturition. A more thorough understanding of the processes underlying normal parturition at term may lead to novel insights regarding abnormal labor, including spontaneous preterm labor, preterm premature rupture of the fetal membranes, and dysfunctional labor, and the role of inflammation in each.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandrashekara Kyathanahalli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Madeline Snedden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Emmet Hirsch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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13
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Nguyen LM, Aronoff DM, Eastman AJ. Matrix metalloproteinases in preterm prelabor rupture of membranes in the setting of chorioamnionitis: A scoping review. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 89:e13642. [PMID: 36300889 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13642] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Fetal or gestational membranes extend from the placenta to enclose the fetus and amniotic fluid. While the membranes spontaneously rupture at term in normal pregnancies, they can rupture prematurely before the onset of labor, termed preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). PPROM can be triggered by bacterial infection or sterile inflammation in the membranes, known as chorioamnionitis (CAM). The membranes derive their tensile strength from a collagen-rich extracellular matrix (ECM); as such, understanding the enzymes and processes that can degrade the membrane ECM are of paramount importance. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a class of enzymes capable of degrading collagen and other components of the ECM, and can be induced by inflammation. We used a scoping review to address the question of how MMP activity is associated with PPROM, particularly their induction due to sterile or nonsterile CAM. We have found that the most studied MMPs in PPROM were MMPs 2, 8, and 9. Additionally, some MMPs are constitutively active, while others are induced by inflammation. Mechanistic studies of the pathways that induce MMP activation are sparse, and this area is ripe for future studies. Targeting MMP activation could be a future strategy to delay or prevent PPROM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynsa M Nguyen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - David M Aronoff
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Alison J Eastman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
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14
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Li M, Huang Z, Tao Z, Meng Y, Wen J, Zhang Q, Liu Y, Shang M, Wang Y, Wang Y, Chen R, Wang X, Cao Y, Zhang L, Liao Q. The role of upper and lower genital tract microbiota alterations in term chorionamnionitis: A prospective study. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1069254. [PMID: 36605507 PMCID: PMC9808057 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1069254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to compare the dynamics of lower and upper genital tract microbiota in normal term pregnancy, histological chorioamnionitis (HCA), and clinical chorioamnionitis (CCA) patients to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of chorioamnionitis (CAM) patients. Methods We prospectively collected vaginal and cervical secretions, as well as placenta tissues, fetal membranes, and amniotic fluid from normal-term pregnant women, HCA and CCA patients. Then, we performed genomic DNA extraction and PCR amplification for all samples. The eligible samples were analyzed by 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) sequencing. Additionally, all placenta tissues were histopathologically examined, and neonatal pharyngeal swabs and placenta tissues from the HCA and CCA groups were subjected to microbial culture. Results A total of 85 term pregnant women were enrolled in this study, including 34 in the normal group (N), 37 in the HCA group, and 14 in the CCA group. A total of 171 qualified samples were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results suggested that the cervical microbiota was highly similar to the vaginal microbiota in normal term parturients, with Lactobacillus as the dominant bacterium. Moreover, there was no difference in the alpha and beta diversity of vaginal microbiota between the N, HCA, and CCA groups at the genus level. Besides, no significant differences were detected in cervical microbiome among the three groups. Regarding intrauterine microorganisms, the N and HCA groups had similar microbial composition but were different from the CCA group. No microbe was detected in the placental tissue of normal term parturients, while some microorganisms were found in the intrauterine amniotic fluid and fetal membrane samples. Regardless of cultivation or 16S rRNA sequencing, an extremely low microbial positive rate was detected in HCA and CCA intrauterine samples. Compared to the normal group, Lactobacillus was significantly reduced in the CCA group intrauterine, and Ureaplasma and Enterococcus increased with no statistically significant. Conclusion The N, HCA and CCA groups had similar composition of vaginal and cervical microflora. Some normal-term pregnant women can harbor non-pathogenic microbiota in the uterine cavity. Sterile inflammation is more frequent than microbial-associated inflammation in term HCA and CCA parturients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyu Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi Tao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiting Meng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jia Wen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiongqiong Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mengyuan Shang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yufeng Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqian Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Lei Zhang, ; Qinping Liao,
| | - Qinping Liao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, School of Clinical Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Lei Zhang, ; Qinping Liao,
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Sudiarta KE, Candra CJ, Khan J, Rahadianto, Handajani F. RAGE and HMGB1 expressions in fetal membranes of premature rupture of membranes patients. MEDICAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIA 2022. [DOI: 10.13181/mji.oa.226099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) often occurs in pregnancy. The fetal membrane weakening is caused by inflammation involving receptor activation for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and high mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1). The associations between RAGE and HMGB1 with PROM are rarely studied. Hence, this study aimed to determine those associations in fetal membranes with PROM occurrence.
METHODS This case-control study was conducted at Dr. Ramelan Central Naval Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia, from August to November 2019. The subjects, determined using a non-probability sampling method (a saturated sample), were divided into PROM and normal pregnancy with intact fetal membranes (control) groups. Fetal membrane specimens were collected during vaginal and cesarean section deliveries. The expressions of RAGE and HMGB1 were determined using the immunohistochemical method and further analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test.
RESULTS The expression of RAGE in fetal membranes with PROM was significantly higher than the control (52.74% versus 14.9% expression/mm2, p<0.001), as well as the expression of HMGB1 (45.9% versus 8.5% expression/mm2, p<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS The higher expressions of RAGE and HMGB1 in fetal membranes were associated with PROM.
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Wan S, Chen P, Gu M, Liu J, Zhou Q, Zhang F, Lu Y, Li L, Wang X. Fetal Lung-Derived Exosomes in Term Labor Amniotic Fluid Induce Amniotic Membrane Senescence. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:889861. [PMID: 35859898 PMCID: PMC9289145 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.889861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanism of parturition is still unclear. Evidence has shown that delivery is associated with cellular senescence of the amniotic membrane. We isolated fetal lung-associated exosomes from the amniotic fluid from term labor (TL-exos) and verified that the exosomes can cause primary human amniotic epithelial cell (hAEC) senescence and apoptosis and can release higher levels of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)-related molecules and proinflammatory damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) than exosomes isolated from the amniotic fluid from term not in labor (TNIL-exos). The human lung carcinoma cell lines (A549) can be used as an alternative to alveolar type 2 epithelial cells producing pulmonary surfactant. Therefore, we isolated A549 cell-derived exosomes (A549-exos) and found that they can trigger hAEC to undergo the same aging process. Finally, the animal experiments suggested that A549-exos induced vaginal bleeding and preterm labor in pregnant mice. Therefore, we conclude that exosomes derived from fetal lungs in term labor amniotic fluid induce amniotic membrane senescence, which may provide new insight into the mechanism of delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuting Wan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Pengzheng Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Mengqi Gu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Qian Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Fengyuan Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Lei Li, ; Yuan Lu, ; Xietong Wang,
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- The Laboratory of Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center (Institute of Translational Medicine), Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences) of China, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Lei Li, ; Yuan Lu, ; Xietong Wang,
| | - Xietong Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
- The Laboratory of Medical Science and Technology Innovation Center (Institute of Translational Medicine), Shandong First Medical University (Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences) of China, Jinan, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Maternal and Child Health Care of Shandong Province, Jinan, China
- The Laboratory of Placenta-Related Diseases, Key Laboratory of Birth Regulation and Control Technology of the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Lei Li, ; Yuan Lu, ; Xietong Wang,
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Galaz J, Romero R, Arenas-Hernandez M, Farias-Jofre M, Motomura K, Liu Z, Kawahara N, Demery-Poulos C, Liu TN, Padron J, Panaitescu B, Gomez-Lopez N. Clarithromycin prevents preterm birth and neonatal mortality by dampening alarmin-induced maternal–fetal inflammation in mice. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:503. [PMID: 35725425 PMCID: PMC9210693 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-04764-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background One of every four preterm neonates is born to a woman with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (inflammatory process induced by alarmins); yet, this clinical condition still lacks treatment. Herein, we utilized an established murine model of sterile intra-amniotic inflammation induced by the alarmin high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) to evaluate whether treatment with clarithromycin prevents preterm birth and adverse neonatal outcomes by dampening maternal and fetal inflammatory responses. Methods Pregnant mice were intra-amniotically injected with HMGB1 under ultrasound guidance and treated with clarithromycin or vehicle control, and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were recorded (n = 15 dams each). Additionally, amniotic fluid, placenta, uterine decidua, cervix, and fetal tissues were collected prior to preterm birth for determination of the inflammatory status (n = 7–8 dams each). Results Clarithromycin extended the gestational length, reduced the rate of preterm birth, and improved neonatal mortality induced by HMGB1. Clarithromycin prevented preterm birth by interfering with the common cascade of parturition as evidenced by dysregulated expression of contractility-associated proteins and inflammatory mediators in the intra-uterine tissues. Notably, clarithromycin improved neonatal survival by dampening inflammation in the placenta as well as in the fetal lung, intestine, liver, and spleen. Conclusions Clarithromycin prevents preterm birth and improves neonatal survival in an animal model of sterile intra-amniotic inflammation, demonstrating the potential utility of this macrolide for treating women with this clinical condition, which currently lacks a therapeutic intervention. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04764-2.
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Aberšek N, Tsiartas P, Jonsson D, Grankvist A, Barman M, Hallingström M, Kacerovsky M, Jacobsson B. Calprotectin levels in amniotic fluid in relation to intra-amniotic inflammation and infection in women with preterm labor with intact membranes: A retrospective cohort study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2022; 272:24-29. [PMID: 35278925 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2022.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the concentrations of calprotectin in amniotic fluid with respect to intra-amniotic inflammation and infection and to assess the presence or absence of bacteria in the amnio-chorionic niche with respect to presence or absence of intra-amniotic inflammation. STUDY DESIGN Seventy-nine women with singleton pregnancies and preterm labor with intact membranes (PTL) were included in the study. Amniotic fluid was collected at the time of admission by amniocentesis and calprotectin levels were analyzed from frozen/thawed samples using ELISA. Interleukin (IL)-6 concentration was measured by point-of-care test. Samples from amniotic fluid and the amnio-chorionic niche (space between amniotic and chorionic membranes) were microbiologically analyzed. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC) was diagnosed based on a positive PCR result for Ureaplasma species, Mycoplasma hominis, 16S rRNA or positive culture. Intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI) was defined as amniotic fluid point-of-care IL-6 concentration ≥ 745 pg/mL. The cohort of included women was divided into 4 subgroups based on the presence or absence of IAI/MIAC; i) intra-amniotic infection, ii) sterile IAI, iii) intra-amniotic colonization and iv) neither MIAC nor IAI. RESULTS Women with intra-amniotic infection had a significantly higher intra-amniotic calprotectin concentration (median; 101.6 µg/mL) compared with women with sterile IAI (median; 9.2 µg/mL), women with intra-amniotic colonization (median; 2.6 µg/mL) and women with neither MIAC nor IAI (median 4.6 µg/mL) (p = 0.001). Moreover, significantly higher amniotic fluid calprotectin concentration was seen in women who delivered within 7 days (p = 0.003). A significant negative correlation was found between amniotic fluid calprotectin and gestational age at delivery (rho = 0.32, p = 0.003). Relatively more bacteria in the amnio-chorionic niche were found in the sterile IAI group compared with the other groups. CONCLUSIONS Calprotectin concentrations in amniotic fluid were significantly higher in the intra-amniotic infection group compared with the other groups. Moreover, the bacterial presence in the amnio-chorionic niche was higher in IAI group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Aberšek
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Panagiotis Tsiartas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Daniel Jonsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Grankvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Malin Barman
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Food and Nutrition Science, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Maria Hallingström
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marian Kacerovsky
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Area of Health Data and Digitalization, Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
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Gershater M, Romero R, Arenas-Hernandez M, Galaz J, Motomura K, Tao L, Xu Y, Miller D, Pique-Regi R, Martinez G, Liu Y, Jung E, Para R, Gomez-Lopez N. IL-22 Plays a Dual Role in the Amniotic Cavity: Tissue Injury and Host Defense against Microbes in Preterm Labor. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 208:1595-1615. [PMID: 35304419 PMCID: PMC8976826 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
IL-22 is a multifaceted cytokine with both pro- and anti-inflammatory functions that is implicated in multiple pathologies. However, the role of IL-22 in maternal-fetal immunity in late gestation is poorly understood. In this study, we first showed that IL-22+ T cells coexpressing retinoic acid-related orphan receptor γt (ROR-γt) are enriched at the human maternal-fetal interface of women with preterm labor and birth, which was confirmed by in silico analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data. T cell activation leading to preterm birth in mice was preceded by a surge in IL-22 in the maternal circulation and amniotic cavity; however, systemic administration of IL-22 in mice did not induce adverse perinatal outcomes. Next, using an ex vivo human system, we showed that IL-22 can cross from the choriodecidua to the intra-amniotic space, where its receptors (Il22ra1, Il10rb, and Il22ra2) are highly expressed by murine gestational and fetal tissues in late pregnancy. Importantly, amniotic fluid concentrations of IL-22 were elevated in women with sterile or microbial intra-amniotic inflammation, suggesting a dual role for this cytokine. The intra-amniotic administration of IL-22 alone shortened gestation and caused neonatal death in mice, with the latter outcome involving lung maturation and inflammation. IL-22 plays a role in host response by participating in the intra-amniotic inflammatory milieu preceding Ureaplasma parvum-induced preterm birth in mice, which was rescued by the deficiency of IL-22. Collectively, these data show that IL-22 alone is capable of causing fetal injury leading to neonatal death and can participate in host defense against microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity leading to preterm labor and birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meyer Gershater
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. 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 Obstetrics and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI; and
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Jose Galaz
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Kenichiro Motomura
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Li Tao
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Yi Xu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Derek Miller
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Roger Pique-Regi
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
- Center for Molecular Obstetrics and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Gregorio Martinez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Yesong Liu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Eunjung Jung
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Robert Para
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
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Animal Models of Chorioamnionitis: Considerations for Translational Medicine. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040811. [PMID: 35453561 PMCID: PMC9032938 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth is defined as any birth occurring before 37 completed weeks of gestation by the World Health Organization. Preterm birth is responsible for perinatal mortality and long-term neurological morbidity. Acute chorioamnionitis is observed in 70% of premature labor and is associated with a heavy burden of multiorgan morbidities in the offspring. Unfortunately, chorioamnionitis is still missing effective biomarkers and early placento- as well as feto-protective and curative treatments. This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding of the underlying mechanisms of chorioamnionitis and subsequent impacts on the pregnancy outcome, both during and beyond gestation. This review also describes relevant and current animal models of chorioamnionitis used to decipher associated mechanisms and develop much needed therapies. Improved knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms underpinning chorioamnionitis based on preclinical models is a mandatory step to identify early in utero diagnostic biomarkers and design novel anti-inflammatory interventions to improve both maternal and fetal outcomes.
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Menon R. Fetal inflammatory response at the fetomaternal interface: A requirement for labor at term and preterm. Immunol Rev 2022; 308:149-167. [PMID: 35285967 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human parturition at term and preterm is an inflammatory process synchronously executed by both fetomaternal tissues to transition them from a quiescent state t an active state of labor to ensure delivery. The initiators of the inflammatory signaling mechanism can be both maternal and fetal. The placental (fetal)-maternal immune and endocrine mediated homeostatic imbalances and inflammation are well reported. However, the fetal inflammatory response (FIR) theories initiated by the fetal membranes (amniochorion) at the choriodecidual interface are not well established. Although immune cell migration, activation, and production of proparturition cytokines to the fetal membranes are reported, cellular level events that can generate a unique set of inflammation are not well discussed. This review discusses derangements to fetal membrane cells (physiologically and pathologically at term and preterm, respectively) in response to both endogenous and exogenous factors to generate inflammatory signals. In addition, the mechanisms of inflammatory signal propagation (fetal signaling of parturition) and how these signals cause immune imbalances at the choriodecidual interface are discussed. In addition to maternal inflammation, this review projects FIR as an additional mediator of inflammatory overload required to promote parturition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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22
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW It is well established that controlled immune activation and balance is critical for women's reproductive health and successful pregnancy outcomes. Research in recent decades in both clinical and animal studies has demonstrated that aberrant immune activation and inflammation play a role in the development and progression of women's reproductive health and pregnancy-related disorders. Inflammasomes are multi-protein cytoplasmic complexes that mediate immune activation. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the role of inflammasome activation in pregnancy-related disorders. RECENT FINDINGS Increased activation of inflammasome is associated with multiple women's health reproductive disorders and pregnancy-associated disorders, including preeclampsia (PreE). Inflammasome activation is also associated with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease caused by the SARS-Cov-2 virus. We and others have observed a positive association between increased PreE incidences with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we present our recent data indicating increased inflammasome activation, represented by caspase-1 activity, in women with COVID-19 and PreE compared to normotensive pregnant women COVID-19. The role of inflammation in pregnancy-related disorders is an area of intense research interest. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated increase in PreE observed clinically, there is a greater need to identify mechanisms of pathophysiology and targets to treat this maternal disorder. Inflammasome activation is associated with PreE and COVID-19 infection and may hold therapeutic potential to improve outcomes associated with PreE and curb the morbidity attributed to PreE.
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Abstract
Chorioamnionitis or intrauterine inflammation is a frequent cause of preterm birth. Chorioamnionitis can affect almost every organ of the developing fetus. Multiple microbes have been implicated to cause chorioamnionitis, but "sterile" inflammation appears to be more common. Eradication of microorganisms has not been shown to prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with chorioamnionitis as inflammatory mediators account for continued fetal and maternal injury. Mounting evidence now supports the concept that the ensuing neonatal immune dysfunction reflects the effects of inflammation on immune programming during critical developmental windows, leading to chronic inflammatory disorders as well as vulnerability to infection after birth. A better understanding of microbiome alterations and inflammatory dysregulation may help develop better treatment strategies for infants born to mothers with chorioamnionitis.
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Šket T, Ramuta TŽ, Starčič Erjavec M, Kreft ME. The Role of Innate Immune System in the Human Amniotic Membrane and Human Amniotic Fluid in Protection Against Intra-Amniotic Infections and Inflammation. Front Immunol 2021; 12:735324. [PMID: 34745106 PMCID: PMC8566738 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.735324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Intra-amniotic infection and inflammation (IAI) affect fetal development and are highly associated with preterm labor and premature rupture of membranes, which often lead to adverse neonatal outcomes. Human amniotic membrane (hAM), the inner part of the amnio-chorionic membrane, protects the embryo/fetus from environmental dangers, including microbial infection. However, weakened amnio-chorionic membrane may be breached or pathogens may enter through a different route, leading to IAI. The hAM and human amniotic fluid (hAF) respond by activation of all components of the innate immune system. This includes changes in 1) hAM structure, 2) presence of immune cells, 3) pattern recognition receptors, 4) cytokines, 5) antimicrobial peptides, 6) lipid derivatives, and 7) complement system. Herein we provide a comprehensive and integrative review of the current understanding of the innate immune response in the hAM and hAF, which will aid in design of novel studies that may lead to breakthroughs in how we perceive the IAI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Šket
- Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Taja Železnik Ramuta
- Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Mateja Erdani Kreft
- Institute of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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25
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Lee JE, Park KH, Kim HJ, Kim YM, Choi JW, Shin S, Lee KN. Proteomic identification of novel plasma biomarkers associated with spontaneous preterm birth in women with preterm labor without infection/inflammation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259265. [PMID: 34710180 PMCID: PMC8553083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective We sought to identify plasma biomarkers associated with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB, delivery within 21 days of sampling) in women with preterm labor (PTL) without intra-amniotic infection/inflammation (IAI) using label-free quantitative proteomic analysis, as well as to elucidate specific protein pathways involved in these cases. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study comprising 104 singleton pregnant women with PTL (24–32 weeks) who underwent amniocentesis and demonstrated no evidence of IAI. Analysis of pooled plasma samples collected from SPTB cases and term birth (TB) controls (n = 10 for each group) was performed using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry for proteome profiling in a nested case-control study design. Eight candidate proteins of interest were validated by ELISA-based assay and a clot-based assay in the total cohort. Results Ninety-one proteins were differentially expressed (P < 0.05) in plasma samples obtained from SPTB cases, of which 53 (58.2%) were upregulated and 38 (41.8%) were downregulated when compared to TD controls. A validation study confirmed that plasma from women who delivered spontaneously within 21 days of sampling contained significantly higher levels of coagulation factor Ⅴ and lower levels of S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9), especially the former which was independent of baseline variables. The top-ranked pathways related to the 91 differentially expressed proteins were liver-X-receptor/retinoid X receptor (RXR) activation, acute phase response signaling, farnesoid X receptor/RXR activation, coagulation system, and complement system. Conclusions Proteomic analyses in this study identified potential novel biomarkers (i.e., coagulation factor V and S100A9) and potential protein pathways in plasma associated with SPTB in the absence of IAI in women with PTL. The present findings provide novel insights into the molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic targets specific for idiopathic SPTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Eun Lee
- Center for Theragnosis, Biomedical Research Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyo Hoon Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
- * E-mail:
| | - Hyeon Ji Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Yu Mi Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
| | - Ji-Woong Choi
- Wide River Institute of Immunology, Seoul National University, Hongcheon, Korea
| | - Sue Shin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyong-No Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea
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26
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Galaz J, Romero R, Arenas-Hernandez M, Panaitescu B, Para R, Gomez-Lopez N. Betamethasone as a potential treatment for preterm birth associated with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation: a murine study. J Perinat Med 2021; 49:897-906. [PMID: 33878254 PMCID: PMC8440410 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2021-0049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Preterm birth remains the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Preterm birth is preceded by spontaneous preterm labor, which is commonly associated with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation; yet, no approved treatment exists for this clinical condition. Corticosteroids are the standard of care to improve neonatal outcomes in women at risk of preterm birth. Herein, we first validated our model of alarmin-induced preterm birth. Next, we investigated whether treatment with betamethasone could prevent preterm birth resulting from sterile intra-amniotic inflammation in mice. METHODS Under ultrasound guidance, the first cohort of dams received an intra-amniotic injection of the alarmin high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1, n=10) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, n=9) as controls. A second cohort of dams received HMGB1 intra-amniotically and were subcutaneously treated with betamethasone (n=15) or vehicle (n=15). Dams were observed until delivery, and perinatal outcomes were observed. RESULTS Intra-amniotic HMGB1 reduced gestational length (p=0.04), inducing preterm birth in 40% (4/10) of cases, of which 100% (4/4) were categorized as late preterm births. Importantly, treatment with betamethasone extended the gestational length (p=0.02), thereby reducing the rate of preterm birth by 26.6% (from 33.3% [5/15] to 6.7% [1/15]). Treatment with betamethasone did not worsen the rate of neonatal mortality induced by HMGB1 or alter weight gain in the first three weeks of life. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with betamethasone prevents preterm birth induced by the alarmin HMGB1. This study supports the potential utility of betamethasone for treating women with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Galaz
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Robert Para
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, United States
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27
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Choltus H, Lavergne M, De Sousa Do Outeiro C, Coste K, Belville C, Blanchon L, Sapin V. Pathophysiological Implication of Pattern Recognition Receptors in Fetal Membranes Rupture: RAGE and NLRP Inflammasome. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9091123. [PMID: 34572309 PMCID: PMC8466405 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091123] [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: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm prelabor ruptures of fetal membranes (pPROM) are a pregnancy complication responsible for 30% of all preterm births. This pathology currently appears more as a consequence of early and uncontrolled process runaway activation, which is usually implicated in the physiologic rupture at term: inflammation. This phenomenon can be septic but also sterile. In this latter case, the inflammation depends on some specific molecules called “alarmins” or “damage-associated molecular patterns” (DAMPs) that are recognized by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), leading to a microbial-free inflammatory response. Recent data clarify how this activation works and which receptor translates this inflammatory signaling into fetal membranes (FM) to manage a successful rupture after 37 weeks of gestation. In this context, this review focused on two PRRs: the receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) and the NLRP7 inflammasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Choltus
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Marilyne Lavergne
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Coraline De Sousa Do Outeiro
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Karen Coste
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Corinne Belville
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Loïc Blanchon
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
| | - Vincent Sapin
- CNRS, INSERM, GReD, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (H.C.); (M.L.); (C.D.S.D.O.); (K.C.); (C.B.); (L.B.)
- CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Biochemistry and Molecular Genetic Department, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-473-178-174
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28
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Motomura K, Romero R, Garcia-Flores V, Leng Y, Xu Y, Galaz J, Slutsky R, Levenson D, Gomez-Lopez N. The alarmin interleukin-1α causes preterm birth through the NLRP3 inflammasome. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 26:712-726. [PMID: 32647859 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaaa054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterile intra-amniotic inflammation is a clinical condition frequently observed in women with preterm labor and birth, the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Growing evidence suggests that alarmins found in amniotic fluid, such as interleukin (IL)-1α, are central initiators of sterile intra-amniotic inflammation. However, the causal link between elevated intra-amniotic concentrations of IL-1α and preterm birth has yet to be established. Herein, using an animal model of ultrasound-guided intra-amniotic injection of IL-1α, we show that elevated concentrations of IL-1α cause preterm birth and neonatal mortality. Additionally, using immunoblotting techniques and a specific immunoassay, we report that the intra-amniotic administration of IL-1α induces activation of the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome in the fetal membranes, but not in the decidua, as evidenced by a concomitant increase in the protein levels of NLRP3, active caspase-1, and IL-1β. Lastly, using Nlrp3-/- mice, we demonstrate that the deficiency of this inflammasome sensor molecule reduces the rates of preterm birth and neonatal mortality caused by the intra-amniotic injection of IL-1α. Collectively, these results demonstrate a causal link between elevated IL-1α concentrations in the amniotic cavity and preterm birth as well as adverse neonatal outcomes, a pathological process that is mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome. These findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying sterile intra-amniotic inflammation and provide further evidence that this clinical condition can potentially be treated by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Motomura
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - R Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - V Garcia-Flores
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Y Leng
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Y Xu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - J Galaz
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - R Slutsky
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA
| | - D Levenson
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - N Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, USA and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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High Mobility Group Box 1 in Pig Amniotic Membrane Experimentally Infected with E. coli O55. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11081146. [PMID: 34439812 PMCID: PMC8393629 DOI: 10.3390/biom11081146] [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: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Intra-amniotic infections (IAI) are one of the reasons for preterm birth. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear protein with various physiological functions, including tissue healing. Its excessive extracellular release potentiates inflammatory reaction and can revert its action from beneficial to detrimental. We infected the amniotic fluid of a pig on the 80th day of gestation with 1 × 104 colony forming units (CFUs) of E. coli O55 for 10 h, and evaluated the appearance of HMGB1, receptor for glycation endproducts (RAGE), and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in the amniotic membrane and fluid. Sham-infected amniotic fluid served as a control. The expression and release of HMGB1 were evaluated by Real-Time PCR, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA. The infection downregulated HMGB1 mRNA expression in the amniotic membrane, changed the distribution of HMGB1 protein in the amniotic membrane, and increased its level in amniotic fluid. All RAGE mRNA, protein expression in the amniotic membrane, and soluble RAGE level in the amniotic fluid were downregulated. TLR4 mRNA and protein expression and soluble TLR4 were all upregulated. HMGB1 is a potential target for therapy to suppress the exaggerated inflammatory response. This controlled expression and release can, in some cases, prevent the preterm birth of vulnerable infants. Studies on suitable animal models can contribute to the development of appropriate therapy.
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30
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Kacerovsky M, Stranik J, Kukla R, Bolehovska R, Bostik P, Matulova J, Stepan M, Hladky J, Jacobsson B, Musilova I. Intra-amniotic infection and sterile intra-amniotic inflammation in women with preterm labor with intact membranes are associated with a higher rate of Ureaplasma species DNA presence in the cervical fluid. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 35:7344-7352. [PMID: 34238107 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2021.1947231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of Ureaplasma spp. DNA and its load in the cervical fluid in women with preterm labor with intact membranes (PTL) complicated by intra-amniotic infection (the presence of both microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity and intra-amniotic inflammation) or sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (the presence of intra-amniotic inflammation alone). METHODS Overall, 115 women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PTL between gestational ages of 22 + 0 and 34 + 6 weeks were included in this study. Paired amniotic and cervical fluid samples were collected at the time of admission via transabdominal amniocentesis using a Dacron polyester swab. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was diagnosed based on a combination of culture and molecular biology methods. Intra-amniotic inflammation was determined based on the concentration of interleukin-6 in the amniotic fluid. Bacterial and Ureaplasma spp. DNA loads were assessed in the cervical fluid using PCR. RESULTS Intra-amniotic infection and sterile inflammation were identified in 14% (16/115) and 25% (29/115) of the women, respectively. Ureaplasma spp. DNA in the cervical fluid was identified in 51% (59/115) of women. The presence of Ureaplasma spp. DNA in the cervical fluid was higher in women with intra-amniotic infection (75% (12/16)) and sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (76% (22/29)) than in women without intra-amniotic inflammation (36% (25/70); p = .0002). Concurrent presence of Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma hominis DNA was higher in women with intra-amniotic infection (42% (5/12)) than women with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (7% (2/29)) and women without intra-amniotic inflammation (7% (5/70); p = .001). There were no differences in the load of Ureaplasma spp. DNA in the cervical fluid among women with intra-amniotic infection, sterile intra-amniotic inflammation, and those without intra-amniotic inflammation (median values; infection: 1.2 × 104 copies DNA/mL; sterile: 5.0 × 105 copies DNA/mL; without: 8.4 × 104 copies DNA/mL; p = .18). CONCLUSIONS In PTL , both forms of intra-amniotic inflammation were associated with a higher prevalence of Ureaplasma spp. DNA in the cervical fluid. The presence of intra-amniotic infection was related to a higher rate of concurrent Ureaplasma spp. and M. hominis DNA in the cervical fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian Kacerovsky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.,Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Stranik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Rudolf Kukla
- Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Bolehovska
- Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Bostik
- Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Institute of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Matulova
- Department of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Stepan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Hladky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Science, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Domain of Health Data and Digitalization, Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ivana Musilova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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31
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The amniotic fluid cell-free transcriptome in spontaneous preterm labor. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13481. [PMID: 34188072 PMCID: PMC8242007 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92439-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The amniotic fluid (AF) cell-free RNA was shown to reflect physiological and pathological processes in pregnancy, but its value in the prediction of spontaneous preterm delivery is unknown. Herein we profiled cell-free RNA in AF samples collected from women who underwent transabdominal amniocentesis after an episode of spontaneous preterm labor and subsequently delivered within 24 h (n = 10) or later (n = 28) in gestation. Expression of known placental single-cell RNA-Seq signatures was quantified in AF cell-free RNA and compared between the groups. Random forest models were applied to predict time-to-delivery after amniocentesis. There were 2385 genes differentially expressed in AF samples of women who delivered within 24 h of amniocentesis compared to gestational age-matched samples from women who delivered after 24 h of amniocentesis. Genes with cell-free RNA changes were associated with immune and inflammatory processes related to the onset of labor, and the expression of placental single-cell RNA-Seq signatures of immune cells was increased with imminent delivery. AF transcriptomic prediction models captured these effects and predicted delivery within 24 h of amniocentesis (AUROC = 0.81). These results may inform the development of biomarkers for spontaneous preterm birth.
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32
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Radnaa E, Richardson LS, Sheller-Miller S, Baljinnyam T, de Castro Silva M, Kumar Kammala A, Urrabaz-Garza R, Kechichian T, Kim S, Han A, Menon R. Extracellular vesicle mediated feto-maternal HMGB1 signaling induces preterm birth. LAB ON A CHIP 2021; 21:1956-1973. [PMID: 34008619 PMCID: PMC8162392 DOI: 10.1039/d0lc01323d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks of gestation) impacts ∼11% of all pregnancies and contributes to 1 million neonatal deaths worldwide annually. An understanding of the feto-maternal (F-M) signals that initiate birthing (parturition) at term is critical to design strategies to prevent their premature activation, resulting in PTB. Although endocrine and immune cell signaling are well-reported, fetal-derived paracrine signals capable of transitioning quiescent uterus to an active state of labor are poorly studied. Recent reports have suggested that senescence of the fetal amnion membrane coinciding with fetal growth and maturation generates inflammatory signals capable of triggering parturition. This is by increasing the inflammatory load at the feto-maternal interface (FMi) tissues (i.e., amniochorion-decidua). High mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), an alarmin, is one of the inflammatory signals released by senescent amnion cells via extracellular vesicles (exosomes; 40-160 nm). Increased levels of HMGB1 in the amniotic fluid, cord and maternal blood are associated with term and PTB. This study tested the hypothesis that senescent amnion cells release HMGB1, which is fetal signaling capable of increasing FMi inflammation, predisposing them to parturition. To test this hypothesis, exosomes from amnion epithelial cells (AECs) grown under normal conditions were engineered to contain HMGB1 by electroporation (eHMGB1). eHMGB1 was characterized (quantity, size, shape, markers and loading efficiency), and its propagation through FMi was tested using a four-chamber microfluidic organ-on-a-chip device (FMi-OOC) that contained four distinct cell types (amnion and chorion mesenchymal, chorion trophoblast and decidual cells) connected through microchannels. eHMGB1 propagated through the fetal cells and matrix to the maternal decidua and increased inflammation (receptor expression [RAGE and TLR4] and cytokines). Furthermore, intra-amniotic injection of eHMGB1 (containing 10 ng) into pregnant CD-1 mice on embryonic day 17 led to PTB. Injecting carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE)-labeled eHMGB1, we determined in vivo kinetics and report that eHMGB1 trafficking resulting in PTB was associated with increased FMi inflammation. This study determined that fetal exosome mediated paracrine signaling can generate inflammation and induce parturition. Besides, in vivo functional validation of FMi-OOC experiments strengthens the reliability of such devices to test physiologic and pathologic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enkhtuya Radnaa
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
| | - Lauren S Richardson
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA. and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Samantha Sheller-Miller
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
| | - Tuvshintugs Baljinnyam
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Mariana de Castro Silva
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
| | - Ananth Kumar Kammala
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
| | - Rheanna Urrabaz-Garza
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
| | - Talar Kechichian
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
| | - Sungjin Kim
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Arum Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, USA.
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Fernández L, Grasso E, Soczewski E, Gori S, Calo G, Hauk V, Sabbione F, Gallino L, Martínez G, Irigoyen M, Bestach Y, Pérez Leirós C, Ramhorst R. Understanding the natural selection of human embryos: blastocyst quality modulates the inflammatory response during the peri-implantation period. Am J Reprod Immunol 2021; 87:e13423. [PMID: 33764560 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Decidualized cells display an active role during embryo implantation sensing blastocyst quality, allowing the implantation of normal developed blastocysts and preventing the invasion of impaired developed ones. Here, we characterized the immune microenvironment generated by decidualized cells in response to soluble factors secreted by blastocysts that shape the receptive milieu. METHOD OF STUDY We used an in vitro model of decidualization based on the Human Endometrial Stromal Cells line (HESC) differentiated with medroxiprogesterone and dibutyryl-cAMP, then treated with human blastocysts-conditioned media (BCM) classified according to their quality. RESULTS Decidualized cells treated with BCM from impaired developed blastocysts increased IL-1β production. Next, we evaluated the ability of decidualized cells to modulate other mediators associated with menstruation as chemokines. Decidualized cells responded to stimulation with BCM from impaired developed blastocysts increasing CXCL12 expression and CXCL8 secretion. The modulation of these markers was associated with the recruitment and activation of neutrophils, while regulatory T cells recruitment was restrained. These changes were not observed in the presence of BCM from normal developed blastocysts. CONCLUSION Soluble factors released by impaired developed blastocysts induce an exacerbated inflammatory response associated with neutrophils recruitment and activation, providing new clues to understand the molecular basis of the embryo-endometrial dialogue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fernández
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Esteban Grasso
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Elizabeth Soczewski
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Soledad Gori
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guillermina Calo
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Vanesa Hauk
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Sabbione
- Instituto de Medicina Experimental (IMEX)- CONICET, Academia Nacional de Medicina. Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucila Gallino
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gustavo Martínez
- Fertilis Medicina Reproductiva. San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marcela Irigoyen
- Fertilis Medicina Reproductiva. San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yesica Bestach
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudia Pérez Leirós
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rosanna Ramhorst
- CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Ikeda M, Negishi Y, Akira S, Morita R, Takeshita T. Inflammation related to high-mobility group box-1 in endometrial ovarian cyst. J Reprod Immunol 2021; 145:103292. [PMID: 33647575 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2021.103292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease often associated with dysmenorrhea, infertility, adenomyosis, and endometrial ovarian cyst (EOC). In particular, EOC can sometimes become malignant in a longitudinal follow-up. This study aimed to investigate the involvement of high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) in an inflammatory milieu and the characteristics of immune cells in EOC. The samples were obtained from patients who underwent ovarian cystectomy for benign ovarian cyst. The participants were divided into two groups: patients with EOC (EOC group) and those without EOC (nEOC group). We divided a part of the removed ovary into small sections and isolated the tissue cells. Thereafter, the cytoplasmic HMGB1 levels in DCs, macrophages, and non-immune cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. We also evaluated the proportions of immune, T, NK, iNKT, NK, and regulatory T (Treg) cells. Results showed that the DCs, macrophages, and non-immune cells of EOC had significantly higher cytoplasmic HMGB1 levels than those of nEOC. The expression of CD69 and CD107a on CD8+ T and CD4+ T cells of EOC was also more enhanced than that of nEOC. Furthermore, the M2 macrophages and Tregs highly accumulated in EOC. These results indicate that HMGB1 may aggravate chronic inflammation related to T-cell activation and simultaneously facilitate development of the immunosuppressive milieu in EOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Ikeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Yasuyuki Negishi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Shigeo Akira
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Rimpei Morita
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Toshiyuki Takeshita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
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Tersigni C, Vatish M, D'Ippolito S, Scambia G, Di Simone N. Abnormal uterine inflammation in obstetric syndromes: molecular insights into the role of chemokine decoy receptor D6 and inflammasome NLRP3. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 26:111-121. [PMID: 32030415 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaz067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The adaptation of the uterine environment into a favorable immunological and inflammatory milieu is a physiological process needed in normal pregnancy. A uterine hyperinflammatory state, whether idiopathic or secondary to hormonal or organic uterine disorders (polycystic ovary syndromes, endometriosis/adenomyosis and fibroids), negatively influences the interactions between decidua and trophoblast, early in gestation, and between chorion and decidua later in pregnancy. Abnormal activation of uterine inflammatory pathways not only contributes to the pathogenesis of the obstetric syndromes, i.e. recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), pre-term delivery (PTD) and pre-eclampsia (PE), but also to correlates with severity. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the knowledge of uterine molecular mechanisms of inflammatory modulation in normal pregnancy and obstetric syndromes (RPL, PTD and PE). In particular, we focus on two regulators of uterine/placental inflammation: the NLRP3 inflammasome and the chemokines decoy receptor D6. We performed comprehensive review of the literature in PubMed and Google Scholar databases from 1994 to 2018. The available evidence suggests that: (i) the expression of inflammasome NLRP3 is increased in the endometrium of women with unexplained RPL, in the chorioamniotic membranes of women with PTL and in the placenta of women with PE; (ii) there is a role for abnormal expression and function of D6 decoy receptor at the feto-maternal interface in cases of RPL and PTD and (iii) the function of placental D6 decoy receptor is impaired in PE. A wider comprehension of the inflammatory molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of the obstetric syndromes might lead to the identification of new potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Tersigni
- U.O.C. di Ostetricia e Patologia Ostetrica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy.,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Manu Vatish
- Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, OX3 9DU, Oxford, UK
| | - Silvia D'Ippolito
- U.O.C. di Ostetricia e Patologia Ostetrica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy.,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Giovanni Scambia
- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome 00168, Italy.,U.O.C. di Ginecologia Oncologica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Di Simone
- U.O.C. di Ostetricia e Patologia Ostetrica, Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute della Donna, del Bambino e di Sanità Pubblica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome 00168, Italy.,Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome 00168, Italy
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36
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Stranik J, Kacerovsky M, Andrys C, Soucek O, Bolehovska R, Holeckova M, Matulova J, Jacobsson B, Musilova I. Intra-amniotic infection and sterile intra-amniotic inflammation are associated with elevated concentrations of cervical fluid interleukin-6 in women with spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2021; 35:4861-4869. [PMID: 33412979 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2020.1869932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the cervical fluid in women with spontaneous preterm labor with intact fetal membranes (PTL) complicated by intra-amniotic infection (the presence of both microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity and intra-amniotic inflammation), or sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (the presence of intra-amniotic inflammation alone). METHODS Eighty women with singleton pregnancies complicated by PTL between gestational ages 22 + 0 and 34 + 6 weeks were included in this retrospective cohort study. Samples of amniotic and cervical fluids were collected at the time of admission. Amniotic fluid samples were obtained via transabdominal amniocentesis, and cervical fluid was obtained using a Dacron polyester swab. Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity was diagnosed based on the combination of culture and molecular biology methods. The concentration of IL-6 in the amniotic and cervical fluids were measured using an automated electrochemiluminescence immunoassay method. Intra-amniotic inflammation was defined as an amniotic fluid IL-6 concentration ≥3000 pg/mL. RESULTS The presence of intra-amniotic infection and sterile inflammation was identified in 15% (12/80) and 26% (21/80) of the women, respectively. Women with intra-amniotic infection (median: 587 pg/mL; p = .01) and with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (median: 590 pg/mL; p = .005) had higher concentrations of IL-6 in the cervical fluid than those without intra-amniotic inflammation (intra-amniotic infection: median 587 pg/mL vs. without inflammation, median: 136 pg/mL; p = .01; sterile intra-amniotic inflammation, median: 590 pg/mL vs. without inflammation, p = .005). No differences were found in the concentrations of IL-6 in the cervical fluid between women with intra-amniotic infection and sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (p = .81). CONCLUSION In pregnancies with PTL, both forms of intra-amniotic inflammation are associated with elevated concentrations of IL-6 in the cervical fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaroslav Stranik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Kacerovsky
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.,Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Ctirad Andrys
- Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Soucek
- Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Bolehovska
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Magdalena Holeckova
- Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Matulova
- Department of Social Medicine, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Science, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Domain of Health Data and Digitalization, Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ivana Musilova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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Block LN, Bowman BD, Schmidt JK, Keding LT, Stanic AK, Golos TG. The promise of placental extracellular vesicles: models and challenges for diagnosing placental dysfunction in utero†. Biol Reprod 2021; 104:27-57. [PMID: 32856695 PMCID: PMC7786267 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2020] [Revised: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring the health of a pregnancy is of utmost importance to both the fetus and the mother. The diagnosis of pregnancy complications typically occurs after the manifestation of symptoms, and limited preventative measures or effective treatments are available. Traditionally, pregnancy health is evaluated by analyzing maternal serum hormone levels, genetic testing, ultrasonographic imaging, and monitoring maternal symptoms. However, researchers have reported a difference in extracellular vesicle (EV) quantity and cargo between healthy and at-risk pregnancies. Thus, placental EVs (PEVs) may help to understand normal and aberrant placental development, monitor pregnancy health in terms of developing placental pathologies, and assess the impact of environmental influences, such as infection, on pregnancy. The diagnostic potential of PEVs could allow for earlier detection of pregnancy complications via noninvasive sampling and frequent monitoring. Understanding how PEVs serve as a means of communication with maternal cells and recognizing their potential utility as a readout of placental health have sparked a growing interest in basic and translational research. However, to date, PEV research with animal models lags behind human studies. The strength of animal pregnancy models is that they can be used to assess placental pathologies in conjunction with isolation of PEVs from fluid samples at different time points throughout gestation. Assessing PEV cargo in animals within normal and complicated pregnancies will accelerate the translation of PEV analysis into the clinic for potential use in prognostics. We propose that appropriate animal models of human pregnancy complications must be established in the PEV field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsey N Block
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Brittany D Bowman
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jenna Kropp Schmidt
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Logan T Keding
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Aleksandar K Stanic
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Thaddeus G Golos
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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Para R, Romero R, Miller D, Panaitescu B, Varrey A, Chaiworapongsa T, Hassan SS, Hsu CD, Gomez-Lopez N. Human β-defensin-3 participates in intra-amniotic host defense in women with labor at term, spontaneous preterm labor and intact membranes, and preterm prelabor rupture of membranes. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020; 33:4117-4132. [PMID: 30999788 PMCID: PMC6800590 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1597047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Human β-defensin-3 (HBD-3) has a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity, and activity and, therefore, plays a central role in host defense mechanisms against infection. Herein, we determined whether HBD-3 was a physiological constituent of amniotic fluid during midtrimester and at term and whether the concentration of this defensin was increased in amniotic fluid of women with spontaneous preterm labor and intact membranes and those with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM) with intra-amniotic inflammation or intra-amniotic infection.Methods: Amniotic fluid was collected from 219 women in the following groups: (1) midtrimester who delivered at term (n = 35); (2) with or without spontaneous labor at term (n = 50); (3) spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes who delivered at term (n = 29); (4) spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes who delivered preterm with or without intra-amniotic inflammation or intra-amniotic infection (n = 69); and (5) pPROM with or without intra-amniotic infection (n = 36). Amniotic fluid HBD-3 concentrations were determined using a sensitive and specific ELISA kit.Results: (1) HBD-3 is a physiological constituent of amniotic fluid; (2) the amniotic fluid concentration of HBD-3 did not change with gestational age (midtrimester versus term not in labor); (3) amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-3 were higher in women with spontaneous labor at term than in those without labor; (4) in the absence of intra-amniotic inflammation, amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-3 were similar between women with spontaneous preterm labor who delivered preterm and those who delivered at term; (5) among patients with spontaneous preterm labor who delivered preterm, amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-3 were greater in women with intra-amniotic infection than in those without this clinical condition; (6) among patients with spontaneous preterm labor, amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-3 were higher in women with intra-amniotic inflammation or intra-amniotic infection who delivered preterm than in those without these clinical conditions who delivered at term; and (7) women with pPROM and intra-amniotic infection had higher median amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-3 than those without this clinical condition.Conclusion: Human β-defensin-3 is a physiological constituent of amniotic fluid and increases during the process of labor at term. Amniotic fluid concentrations of HBD-3 were increased in women with spontaneous preterm labor with intact membranes or pPROM with intra-amniotic inflammation or intra-amniotic infection, indicating that this defensin participates in the host defense mechanisms in the amniotic cavity against microorganisms or danger signals. These findings provide insight into the soluble host defense mechanisms against intra-amniotic inflammation and intra-amniotic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Para
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Derek Miller
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Aneesha Varrey
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sonia S. Hassan
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U S Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Fulova V, Hostinska E, Studnickova M, Huml K, Zapletalova J, Halek J, Pilka R. Transabdominal amniocentesis in expectant management of preterm premature rupture of membranes: A single center prospective study. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub 2020; 165:305-315. [PMID: 33087938 DOI: 10.5507/bp.2020.041] [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: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of IL-6 point-of-care test in amniotic fluid obtained from serial amniocentesis in expectantly managed women with PPROM between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation. METHODS We conducted a prospective observational cohort study which included 62 pregnant women with PPROM in gestational weeks between 22+0 and 34+0. Women aged >18 years were eligible if they presented with PPROM and a singleton pregnancy. Only women who delivered at >24.0 weeks were included in the study. In all women, the maternal blood sampling and a transabdominal amniocentesis were performed at the time of admission prior to the administration of corticosteroids, antibiotics, or tocolytics, to rule out signs of chorioamnionitis. Maternal temperature, maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) counts were assayed every subsequent day until delivery. Amniotic fluid was used for the clinical assessment (IL-6 point-of-care test, identification of microorganisms in the amniotic fluid. After one week of expectant management of PPROM, second amniocentesis with amniotic fluid sampling was performed in patients who did not deliver. For all newborns, medical records regarding neonatal morbidity and mortality were reviewed. RESULTS In total, 62 women aged 19 to 41 years were recruited in the study. The mean gestational age at the time of PPROM was 31+0, the mean gestational age at labor was 32+1, and the median time from PPROM to childbirth was 112 h. IL-6 point-of-care test values above 1,000 pg/mL (positive Il-6 AMC) were found in 12 women (19.4%) with median interval from PPROM to childbirth 56 h (min-max: 6.4-288). IL-6 point-of-care test values below 1,000 pg/mL (negative Il-6 AMC) were found in 51 women (81.0%). The neonatal mortality rate was 1.9% and was associated with prematurity. CONCLUSION The major clinical finding of our study is that serial transabdominal amniocentesis with Il-6 point-of-care test helps to identify a high inflammatory status in amniotic fluid in women with PPROM. Subsequent expectant management of women with PPROM does not lead to worsening of short-term neonatal outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Fulova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Eliska Hostinska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Studnickova
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Huml
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Zapletalova
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Hnevotinska 3, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Halek
- Department of Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc and University Hospital Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Protein Concentrations of Thrombospondin-1, MIP-1β, and S100A8 Suggest the Reflection of a Pregnancy Clock in Mid-Trimester Amniotic Fluid. Reprod Sci 2020; 27:2146-2157. [PMID: 33026626 PMCID: PMC7593301 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00229-z] [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: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The development of immunoassays enables more sophisticated studies of the associations between protein concentrations and pregnancy outcomes, allowing early biomarker identification that can improve neonatal outcomes. The aim of this study was to explore associations between selected mid-trimester amniotic fluid proteins and (1) overall gestational duration and (2) spontaneous preterm delivery. A prospective cohort study, including women undergoing mid-trimester transabdominal genetic amniocentesis, was performed in Gothenburg, Sweden, 2008-2016 (n = 1072). A panel of 27 proteins related to inflammation was analyzed using Meso-Scale multiplex technology. Concentrations were adjusted for gestational age at sampling, experimental factors, year of sampling, and covariates (maternal age at sampling, parity (nulliparous/multiparous), smoking at first prenatal visit, and in vitro fertilization). Cox regression analysis of the entire cohort was performed to explore possible associations between protein concentrations and gestational duration. This was followed by Cox regression analysis censored at 259 days or longer, to investigate whether associations were detectable in women with spontaneous preterm delivery (n = 47). Finally, linear regression models were performed to analyze associations between protein concentrations and gestational duration in women with spontaneous onset of labor at term (n = 784). HMG-1, IGFBP-1, IL-18, MIP-1α, MIP-1β, S100A8, and thrombospondin-1 were significantly associated with gestational duration at term, but not preterm. Increased concentrations of thrombospondin-1, MIP-1β, and S100A8, respectively, were significantly associated with decreased gestational duration after the Holm-Bonferroni correction in women with spontaneous onset of labor at term. This adds to the concept of a pregnancy clock, where our findings suggest that such a clock is also reflected in the amniotic fluid at early mid-trimester, but further research is needed to confirm this.
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Katakura S, Takao T, Arase T, Yoshimasa Y, Tomisato S, Uchida S, Masuda H, Uchida H, Tanaka M, Maruyama T. UDP-glucose, a cellular danger signal, and nucleotide receptor P2Y14 enhance the invasion of human extravillous trophoblast cells. Placenta 2020; 101:194-203. [PMID: 33011563 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.09.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION P2Y14, one of the P2Y purinergic G-protein coupled receptors, is expressed in a variety of cells and tissues. Its ligand, UDP-glucose (UDPG), is released from damaged and stress-stimulated cells and acts as a danger signal via P2Y14. Thus, P2Y14 plays an important role in immunological defense systems. Here, we aimed to elucidate the expression, localization, and role of P2Y14 in human trophoblasts and the placenta. METHODS Human chorionic villus and placental tissues were subjected to immunostaining for P2Y14 protein and an extravillous trophoblast (EVT) marker, HLA-G. We examined the expression of P2Y14 and the effect of UDPG on cell proliferation and invasion in an EVT cell line, HTR-8/SVneo, using an MTS assay and a Transwell assay, respectively. We tested the effect of UDPG on cell invasion in P2Y14-underexpressing HTR-8/SVneo clones established by the lentiviral introduction of shRNA for P2RY14 mRNA. RESULTS Immunostaining revealed that P2Y14 was exclusively expressed by EVTs. P2RY14 mRNA and P2Y14 protein were expressed in HTR-8/SVneo cells. UDPG did not affect cell proliferation but it did enhance invasion. Inhibition of P2Y14 and decreasing the expression of P2Y14 suppressed UDPG-mediated invasive activity. CONCLUSIONS These results showed that EVT selectively expressed P2Y14 and that P2Y14 was positively involved in UDPG-enhanced EVT invasion. It suggests the possible existence of a danger signal-mediated physiological system at the fetomaternal interface where UDPG released from maternal tissues through destruction by EVT invasion may accelerate EVT invasion, allowing EVTs to undergo successful placentation and vascular remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satomi Katakura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoka Takao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toru Arase
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keiyu Hospital, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yushi Yoshimasa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoko Tomisato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sayaka Uchida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Masuda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Uchida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mamoru Tanaka
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Maruyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
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Cobo T, Kacerovsky M, Jacobsson B. Risk factors for spontaneous preterm delivery. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2020; 150:17-23. [PMID: 32524595 DOI: 10.1002/ijgo.13184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a substantial variation in rates of preterm delivery between different parts of the world. The understanding of these variations, as well as the biological mechanisms behind spontaneous preterm delivery, is limited. Although the benefit of antenatal interventions has been shown to be limited, using well-known risk factors for spontaneous preterm delivery to select the correct pregnant women for targeted interventions is important from both a medical and caregiving perspective. OBJECTIVE To provide an introduction to a substantial research area dealing with risk factors of spontaneous preterm delivery. METHODS Risk factors in this review were classified as demographical, obstetrical, and gynecological and those related to the current pregnancy according to high-quality evidence of recent literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION An introduction to a substantial research area in maternal and fetal medicine was provided that might help clinicians to better understand the risk factors related to preterm delivery and select the correct pregnant women for targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Cobo
- BCNatal, Barcelona Center for Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Clinic and Hospital Sant Joan de Deu), Fetal i+D Fetal Medicine Research Center, IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Center for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases (CIBER-ER), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marian Kacerovsky
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Bo Jacobsson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Domain of Health Data and Digitalization, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Saito Reis CA, Padron JG, Norman Ing ND, Kendal-Wright CE. High-mobility group box 1 is a driver of inflammation throughout pregnancy. Am J Reprod Immunol 2020; 85:e13328. [PMID: 32851715 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A proinflammatory response driven by high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is important for the success of both the early stages of pregnancy and parturition initiation. However, the tight regulation of HMGB1 within these two stages is critical, as increased HMGB1 can manifest into pregnancy-related pathologies. Although during the early stages of pregnancy HMGB1 is critical for the development and implantation of the embryo, and uterine decidualization, high levels within the uterine cavity have been linked to pregnancy failure. In addition, chronic inflammation, resultant from increased HMGB1 within the maternal circulation and gestational tissues, also increases the risk for preterm labor, preterm birth, or infant mortality. Due to the link between HMGB1 and several pregnancy pathologies, the possibility of leveraging HMGB1 as a biomarker has been assessed. However, data are limited that demonstrate how known HMGB1 inhibitors could reduce inflammation within pregnancy. Thus, further research is warranted to improve our understanding of the potential of HMGB1 as a therapeutic target to reduce inflammation within pregnancy. This review aims to describe what is understood about the role of HMGB1 that drives inflammation throughout pregnancy and highlight its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target within this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chelsea A Saito Reis
- Natural Science and Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Justin G Padron
- Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Manoā, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Nainoa D Norman Ing
- Natural Science and Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Claire E Kendal-Wright
- Natural Science and Mathematics, Chaminade University of Honolulu, Honolulu, HI, USA.,Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'i at Manoā, Honolulu, HI, USA.,Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai'I at Manoā, Honolulu, HI, USA
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Richardson LS, Radnaa E, Urrabaz-Garza R, Lavu N, Menon R. Stretch, scratch, and stress: Suppressors and supporters of senescence in human fetal membranes. Placenta 2020; 99:27-34. [PMID: 32750642 PMCID: PMC7530028 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2020.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Throughout gestation, amnion membranes undergo mechanical and or physiological stretch, scratch, or stress which is withstood by repairing and remodeling processes to protect the growing fetus. At term, increased oxidative stress (OS) activates p38MAPK, induces senescence, and inflammation contributing to membrane dysfunction to promote labor. However, the signaling initiated by stretch and scratch is still unclear. This study compares the induction of p38MAPK mediated senescence by stretch, scratch, and stress in human amnion epithelial cells (AECs). METHODS Primary AECs from term, not-in-labor, fetal membranes were cultured using the following conditions (N = 3); 1) CellFlex chambers with or without 20% biaxial stretch, 2) 8-well coverslips with or without scratch, and 3) cells exposed to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) inducing OS. p38MAPK (Western blot or immunocytochemistry), senescence activation, and inflammation (matrix metalloproteinases 9 [MMP9] activity-ELISA) were determined in cells exposed to various conditions. T-test and One-Way ANOVA was used to assess significance. RESULTS Biological membrane extension, mimicked by 20% biaxial stretch of AEC, maintained an epithelial morphology and activated P-p38MAPK (P = 0.02) compared to the non-stretch controls, but did not induce senescence or MMP9 activation. AEC scratches were healed within 40-hrs, which included proliferation, migration, and cellular transitions aided by p38MAPK activation but not senescence. CSE induced OS increased p38MAPK (P = 0.018) activation, senescence (P = 0.019), and MMP9 (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION Physiologic stretch and scratch experienced during gestation can cause p38MAPK activation without causing senescence or inflammation. This may be indicative of p38MAPK's role in tissue remodeling during pregnancy. Overwhelming OS, experienced at term, results in P-p38MAPK mediated senescence and inflammation to disrupt membrane remodeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren S Richardson
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Perinatal Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, 77555-1062, USA
| | - Enkhtuya Radnaa
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Perinatal Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, 77555-1062, USA
| | - Rheanna Urrabaz-Garza
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Perinatal Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, 77555-1062, USA
| | - Narmada Lavu
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Perinatal Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, 77555-1062, USA
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine & Perinatal Research, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, 77555-1062, USA.
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Green ES, Arck PC. Pathogenesis of preterm birth: bidirectional inflammation in mother and fetus. Semin Immunopathol 2020; 42:413-429. [PMID: 32894326 PMCID: PMC7508962 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-020-00807-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) complicates 5–18% of pregnancies globally and is a leading cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Most PTB is spontaneous and idiopathic, with largely undefined causes. To increase understanding of PTB, much research in recent years has focused on using animal models to recapitulate the pathophysiology of PTB. Dysfunctions of maternal immune adaptations have been implicated in a range of pregnancy pathologies, including PTB. A wealth of evidence arising from mouse models as well as human studies is now available to support that PTB results from a breakdown in fetal-maternal tolerance, along with excessive, premature inflammation. In this review, we examine the current knowledge of the bidirectional communication between fetal and maternal systems and its role in the immunopathogenesis of PTB. These recent insights significantly advance our understanding of the pathogenesis of PTB, which is essential to ultimately designing more effective strategies for early prediction and subsequent prevention of PTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Shana Green
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petra Clara Arck
- Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, Laboratory for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany.
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Oh KJ, Lee J, Romero R, Park HS, Hong JS, Yoon BH. A new rapid bedside test to diagnose and monitor intraamniotic inflammation in preterm PROM using transcervically collected fluid. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020; 223:423.e1-423.e15. [PMID: 32114081 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.02.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, a clinical condition present in approximately 50% of patients with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes, is often associated with intraamniotic inflammation, a risk factor for a short admission-to-delivery interval, early preterm delivery, and neonatal complications. We previously developed a transcervical amniotic fluid collector, the device that allows the collection of fluid noninvasively from the cervical canal when membrane rupture occurs. OBJECTIVE This study was designed to determine whether rapid analysis of an interleukin-8 concentration in fluid obtained noninvasively by the transcervical amniotic fluid collector can be used to assess the risk of intraamniotic inflammation. We also compared the diagnostic performance of this point-of-care test for interleukin-8 in transcervically obtained fluid to that of a white blood cell count determined in amniotic fluid retrieved by transabdominal amniocentesis. STUDY DESIGN This prospective cohort study was conducted between October 2011 and April 2017. Fluid was retrieved through both transabdominal amniocentesis and the use of a transcervical amniotic fluid collector within 24 hours of amniocentesis in patients with a singleton pregnancy and preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (16-35 weeks of gestation). Amniotic fluid obtained via amniocentesis was cultured for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and genital mycoplasmas; a white blood cell count was also measured in amniotic fluid. Intraamniotic infection was diagnosed when microorganisms were identified by the cultivation of amniotic fluid. Intraamniotic inflammation was defined as an elevated amniotic fluid matrix metalloproteinase-8 concentration (>23 ng/mL) assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Interleukin-8 in cervical fluid obtained by the collector was measured by the point-of-care test that used a test strip and scanner based on the fluorescence immunochromatographic analysis in 2019. The diagnostic indices, predictive values, and likelihood ratios of the 2 different tests were calculated. RESULTS First, interleukin-8 concentration ≥9.5 ng/mL in cervical fluid, determined by the point-of-care test, was at the knee of the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and had a sensitivity of 98% (56/57; 95% confidence interval, 91-99.96%), specificity of 74% (40/54; 95% confidence interval, 60-85%), positive predictive value of 80% (56/70; 95% confidence interval, 72-86%), negative predictive value of 98% (40/41; 95% confidence interval, 85-99.6%), positive likelihood ratio of 3.79 (95% confidence interval, 2.41-5.96), and negative likelihood ratio of 0.02 (95% confidence interval, 0.003-0.17) in the identification of intraamniotic inflammation; a concentration of matrix metalloproteinase-8 >23 ng/mL by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay had a prevalence of 51% (57/111). Second, a cervical fluid interleukin-8 concentration ≥9.5 ng/mL had significantly higher sensitivity than a transabdominally obtained amniotic fluid white blood cell count (≥19 cells/mm3) in the identification of intraamniotic inflammation (sensitivity: 98% [95% confidence interval, 91-99.96%] vs 84% [95% confidence interval, 72-93%]; P<.05; specificity: 74% [95% confidence interval, 60-85%] vs 76% [95% confidence interval, 62-87%); positive and negative predictive values: 80% [95% confidence interval, 72-86%] and 98% [95% confidence interval, 85-99.6%] vs 79% [95% confidence interval, 69-86%] and 82% [95% confidence interval, 71-89%]) and in the identification of intraamniotic inflammation/infection (gold standard: positive culture for bacteria or a matrix metalloproteinase-8 >23 ng/mL; sensitivity: 91% [95% confidence interval, 82-97%] vs 75% [95% confidence interval, 63-85%]; P<.05). CONCLUSION The point-of-care test was predictive of intraamniotic inflammation, based on the determination of interleukin-8 in fluid retrieved by a transcervical amniotic fluid collector. Therefore, the analysis of cervically obtained fluid by such point-of-care test may be used to noninvasively monitor intraamniotic inflammation in patients with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Joon Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea
| | - JoonHo Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Women's Life Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei University Health System, South Korea
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, NICHD/NIH/DHHS, 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, the Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL
| | - Hyun Soo Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dongguk University Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, South Korea
| | - Joon-Seok Hong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, South Korea
| | - Bo Hyun Yoon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, South Korea.
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Kato M, Negishi Y, Shima Y, Kuwabara Y, Morita R, Takeshita T. Inappropriate activation of invariant natural killer T cells and antigen-presenting cells with the elevation of HMGB1 in preterm births without acute chorioamnionitis. Am J Reprod Immunol 2020; 85:e13330. [PMID: 32852122 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Acute chorioamnionitis (aCAM) associated with microbial infection is a primary cause of preterm birth (PB). However, recent studies have demonstrated that innate immunity and sterile inflammation are causes of PB in the absence of aCAM. Therefore, we analyzed immune cells in the decidua of early to moderate PB without aCAM. METHOD OF STUDY Deciduas were obtained from patients with PB at a gestational age of 24+0 to 33+6 weeks without aCAM in pathological diagnosis. The patients were divided into two groups as follows: patients with labor and/or rupture of membrane (ROM) (no aCAM with labor and/or ROM: nCAM-w-LR), and patients without labor and/or ROM (no aCAM without labor and/or ROM: nCAM-w/o-LR). The immune cells and high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) levels in the decidua were analyzed using flow cytometry. Co-culture of CD56+ cells with dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages obtained from the decidua was also performed in the presence of HMGB1. RESULTS The nCAM-w-LR group demonstrated an accumulation of iNKT cells, and increased expression of HMGB1, TLR4, receptors for advanced glycation end products, and CD1d on DCs and macrophages. HMGB1 facilitated the proliferation of iNKT cells co-cultured with DCs and macrophages, which was found to be inhibited by heparin. CONCLUSIONS Inappropriate activation of innate immune cells and increased HMGB1 expression may represent parturition signs in human pregnancy. Therefore, control of these cells and HMGB1 antigenicity may be represent a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of PB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiko Kato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Negishi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Microbiology and immunology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshio Shima
- Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yoshimitsu Kuwabara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rimpei Morita
- Department of Microbiology and immunology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Takeshita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
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Negishi Y, Shima Y, Takeshita T, Morita R. Harmful and beneficial effects of inflammatory response on reproduction: sterile and pathogen-associated inflammation. Immunol Med 2020; 44:98-115. [PMID: 32838688 DOI: 10.1080/25785826.2020.1809951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In reproduction, inflammatory processes play important roles in the development of many pregnancy complications such as preterm labor/birth, recurrent pregnancy loss, recurrent implantation failure, and preeclampsia. Inflammation can be initiated by both microbial and non-microbial causes. Bacterial infection in the feto-maternal interface and uterus can provoke preterm labor/birth, miscarriage, and chronic endometritis. By contrast, inflammation without infection, or 'sterile inflammation,' can also lead to many kinds of complications, such as preterm labor/birth, miscarriage, or preeclampsia. Aberrant inflammation is facilitated by immune cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and invariant natural killer T cells. In addition, cytokines, chemokines, and several kinds of inflammatory mediators are involved. On the other hand, appropriate inflammation is required for a successful offspring during the progression of the entire pregnancy. Herein, we discuss the relation between pregnancy and inflammation with immunological alterations. Understanding the role of inflammation in complications during pregnancy may establish new perspectives of the progress of normal pregnancy as well as treatments during pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Negishi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshio Shima
- Department of Pediatrics, Nippon Medical School Musashikosugi Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Takeshita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rimpei Morita
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
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Brien ME, Boufaied I, Bernard N, Forest JC, Giguere Y, Girard S. Specific inflammatory profile in each pregnancy complication: A comparative study. Am J Reprod Immunol 2020; 84:e13316. [PMID: 32761668 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Pre-eclampsia (PE), preterm birth (PTB) and intra-uterine growth restriction (IUGR) affect 5%-12% of pregnancies. They have been associated with placental inflammation, although the detection of inflammatory mediators in the maternal circulation is still controversial. Our goal was to determine the inflammatory changes occurring in the second part of pregnancy to identify profiles distinguishing pathological pregnancies from each other. METHOD OF STUDY We performed a nested case-control study of 200 women randomly selected from a cohort recruited at the CHU de Quebec-Universite Laval, Quebec, Canada. Women with uncomplicated term pregnancy (CTRL); PE (severe or not); PTB or IUGR (N = 50/each) were included. Plasma samples, obtained from the late second trimester and at delivery, were analysed for over 30 selected mediators (including cytokines/alarmins), by multiplex, ELISA or specific assays. Demographic and obstetrical information were obtained for classification. RESULTS In CTRL, we observed significant differences between 2nd trimester and delivery, with increased levels of inflammatory mediators (ex. MCP-1, IL-6), supporting an inflammatory profile towards term. Increased levels of IL-6, CXCL10 and CRP were observed in PE as compared to CTRL. In PTB, we observed increased CXCL9 in 2nd trimester and decreased progesterone at delivery. In IUGR, increased HMGB1 and IL-1α were observed only in the 2nd trimester. CONCLUSIONS Our work showed significant inflammatory changes in uncomplicated pregnancies towards delivery, supporting that normal delivery is pro-inflammatory, although not to the same extent as in pathological pregnancies. Inflammatory profiles are specific to each pregnancy complication which may help to understand the contribution of inflammation to the clinical presentation of these conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Eve Brien
- Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ines Boufaied
- Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nathalie Bernard
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Quebec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Claude Forest
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Quebec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Yves Giguere
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Quebec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.,Department of Molecular Biology, Medical Biochemistry and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Girard
- Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Université de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Department of Microbiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Université de Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Ikeda M, Ono T, Tsumura K, Yamasaki F, Nomiyama M, Yokoyama M. Successful treatment of severe intra-amniotic inflammation and cervical insufficiency with continuous transabdominal amnioinfusion and cerclage: A case report. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2020; 46:2142-2146. [PMID: 32779299 DOI: 10.1111/jog.14407] [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: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Severe intra-amniotic inflammation, even with a negative bacterial culture, can lead to premature labor. We report a 43-year-old multiparous woman with severe intra-amniotic inflammation and cervical insufficiency at 23 weeks and 5 days of gestation. Continuous transabdominal amnioinfusion was started 2 days after the diagnosis. The amniotic fluid interleukin-6 level normalized after 2 days of treatment. She underwent Shirodkar cervical cerclage on day 7. Despite termination of amnioinfusion and catheter removal on day 16, the pregnancy was maintained without any subsequent treatment. At 33 weeks and 5 days of gestation, an intrauterine Ureaplasma parvum infection and the onset of contractions led to repeat cesarean delivery. The birth weight was 2292 g, and the Apgar scores were 8/8. Both mother and infant had good outcomes. Continuous transabdominal amnioinfusion may have eliminated factors causing intra-amniotic inflammation, thereby prolonging the pregnancy and improving the infant's prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masazumi Ikeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Saga National Hospital, Saga, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
| | - Takeshi Ono
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Saga National Hospital, Saga, Japan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karatsu Red Cross Hospital, Karatsu, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tsumura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Saga National Hospital, Saga, Japan
| | - Fumio Yamasaki
- Department of Pathology, Japan Community Health Care Organization, Saga Central Hospital, Saga, Japan
| | - Makoto Nomiyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Hospital Organization, Saga National Hospital, Saga, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Yokoyama
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga, Japan
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