Patterns of Systemic and Cervicovaginal Fluid Inflammatory Cytokines throughout Pregnancy

Kristin B. Ashford, Niraj Chavan, Jeffrey L. Ebersole, Amanda T. Wiggins, Savita Sharma, Andrea McCubbin, Janine Barnett, John O'Brien

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective This study describes the normal variations in serum and cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) cytokine levels throughout pregnancy. Study Design This multicenter, prospective study examined trimester-specific maternal serum and CVF cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein [CRP]). A two-factor linear mixed modeling approach compared cytokine distribution, while pairwise comparisons evaluated differences over time. Results Trimester-specific serum cytokine data were available for 288, 243, and 221 patients, whereas CVF cytokine data were available for 273, 229, and 198 patients. CVF had significantly higher concentrations of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and matrix metalloproteinase-8 (p < 0.001), irrespective of the trimester. At all time points, IL-10 and CRP concentrations were higher in serum than CVF (p < 0.001). Serum IL-10 increased significantly throughout pregnancy (p < 0.001). Conclusion Differences in cytokine distribution across different biological fluids are evident throughout pregnancy. These findings provide a framework for examining patterns of changes in cytokines throughout pregnancy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)455-462
Number of pages8
JournalAmerican Journal of Perinatology
Volume35
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2018

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Financial support for this researchwas provided in part by National Institutes for Health Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women"s Health (BIRCWH: K12DA14040) to K.B.A.; Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE: 5P20GM103538) and University of Kentucky Clinical and Translational Research Center KL2RR033171 to J.L.E. The project described was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through grant number UL1TR000117. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. We acknowledge the expert support of Wendy F. Hansen, MD, and Jason Stevens (Research Analyst). Dr. Hansen is a professor and JohnW. Greene, chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Mr. Stevens is the principal research analyst for the Center for Oral Health Research, University of Kentucky. We are also grateful to the medical and nursing faculty and staff at the UK prenatal clinics, and all of the women who participated in study for making this research possible.

Funding Information:
Financial support for this research was provided in part by National Institutes for Health Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH: K12DA14040) to K.B.A.; Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE: 5P20GM103538) and University of Kentucky Clinical and Translational Research Center KL2RR033171 to J.L.E. The project described was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through grant number UL1TR000117. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.

Funding

Financial support for this researchwas provided in part by National Institutes for Health Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women"s Health (BIRCWH: K12DA14040) to K.B.A.; Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE: 5P20GM103538) and University of Kentucky Clinical and Translational Research Center KL2RR033171 to J.L.E. The project described was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through grant number UL1TR000117. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. We acknowledge the expert support of Wendy F. Hansen, MD, and Jason Stevens (Research Analyst). Dr. Hansen is a professor and JohnW. Greene, chair in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Mr. Stevens is the principal research analyst for the Center for Oral Health Research, University of Kentucky. We are also grateful to the medical and nursing faculty and staff at the UK prenatal clinics, and all of the women who participated in study for making this research possible. Financial support for this research was provided in part by National Institutes for Health Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH: K12DA14040) to K.B.A.; Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE: 5P20GM103538) and University of Kentucky Clinical and Translational Research Center KL2RR033171 to J.L.E. The project described was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through grant number UL1TR000117. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

FundersFunder number
Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH)K12DA14040, 5P20GM103538
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine
National Institutes for Health Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women"s Health
National Institutes for Health: Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health
University of Kentucky Clinical and Translational Research Center
National Institutes of Health (NIH)UL1TR000117
National Institute of General Medical SciencesP20GM103538
National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky, Center for Clinical and Translational ScienceKL2RR033171

    Keywords

    • cervicovaginal fluid
    • cytokines
    • inflammatory markers
    • pregnancy
    • serum

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
    • Obstetrics and Gynecology

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