title: Interleukin-8 is a mediator of the final cervical ripening in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in the human cervix and whether the levels of interleukin-8 could be related to the ripening process during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cervical biopsies were obtained in twelve term pregnant and in eight vaginally delivered women. Seven non-pregnant fertile women served as controls. After homogenisation and centrifugation, IL-8 levels were determined in the supernatant by an enzyme-immunoassay (EIA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In women at term, the concentration of IL-8 increased six-fold from median 330 pg/ml to median 2190 pg/ml (P < 0.001). After the final cervical ripening it increased in additional 11-fold to median 26,100 pg/ml (P < 0.001). These changes are highly significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge, this is the first time IL-8 has been identified in human cervix. Our results support the involvement of IL-8 in the connective tissue remodelling during the final cervical ripening just before onset of labour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. jacob@mail.oden.se
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Sennström
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brauner
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Granström
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Ekman
mesh_terms: D001034:Apgar Score; D001724:Birth Weight; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8