title: Human cervical ripening, an inflammatory process mediated by cytokines.
abstract: An extensive remodelling process, referred to as cervical ripening, takes place in the cervical tissue during pregnancy and labour. It is recognized as softening and dilation of the cervical canal, and starts as a slow process during pregnancy, becoming rapid close to partum. In this study we focus on cytokines as possible mediators of this final remodelling. mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were upregulated in the ripe postpartum cervical tissue (n = 8) compared to the unripe state (n = 9). Likewise, released cytokine concentrations increased from non-pregnant (n = 11) to the term-pregnant group (n = 13) with a further increase at partum (n = 16). IL-8 concentrations increased 4-fold from non-pregnant to term-pregnant (P<0.01), and a further 10-fold to postpartum state (P<0.0001). Concentrations of IL-6 and G-CSF were similarly increased. Specific IL-8 immunostaining was identified in the epithelia of pregnant cervical tissue (n = 7) and was most pronounced in the epithelia and stroma of postpartum tissue (n = 4). In conclusion, IL-8, IL-6 and G-CSF increase in the human cervix during the ripening process, indicating their important role in the cervical remodelling. These data demonstrate that cervical ripening is similar to an inflammatory process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Child Health, Division for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds Hospital, Danderyd.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sennström
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ekman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Westergren-Thorsson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Byström
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Endrésen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mlambo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ståbi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brauner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020070:Cervical Ripening / Q000276:immunology*; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor