title: Cytokine abundance in placental tissues: evidence of inflammatory activation in gestational membranes with term and preterm parturition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study of the changes in cytokine concentrations in gestational tissues from women with term and preterm labor was undertaken to assess the extent of inflammatory activation associated with spontaneous labor and delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extracts of amniotic, chorionic-decidual, and placental tissues from women delivered at term before labor (n = 15), at term after labor (n = 15), and preterm (n = 31) were assayed for interleukin 1beta, interleukin 6, and interleukin 8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In amniotic tissues of women delivered by spontaneous labor at term the median interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and interleukin-1beta concentrations were 3.8 to 5.4 times those of tissues from women delivered at term without labor (P <.05, Mann-Whitney U test). Interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 concentrations were also significantly increased (3. 3-4 times) in chorionic-decidual tissues. Marked increases (approximately 3-6 times) in the concentrations of all 3 cytokines were observed in both amniotic and chorionic-decidual tissues from women with preterm deliveries with respect to those from women with term deliveries after labor. Cytokine concentrations were significantly correlated within amniotic tissues from both women with term delivery after labor and women with preterm delivery and also in preterm chorionic-decidual tissues but not preterm placental tissues. Concentrations of cytokines in the tissues of women delivered preterm were not significantly affected by mode of delivery, treatment with antibiotics, or twin birth. In preterm tissues with evidence of intrauterine infection only amniotic interleukin-1beta concentrations were significantly elevated (P <. 05). Little or no labor-related change in cytokine concentrations was seen within placental tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased cytokine abundance in gestational membranes associated with labor supports the view that an inflammatory process is involved in both term and preterm labor. This process does not, however, appear to be evident in the villous placenta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Auckland School of Medicine, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Keelan
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Marvin
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: McCowan
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8