title: Pro-inflammatory maternal cytokine profile in preterm delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to determine the levels of cytokines produced by maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) upon stimulation with a mitogen, with autologous placental cells and with a trophoblast antigen extract.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 54 women with a history of successful pregnancy and 30 women undergoing preterm delivery (PTD) were stimulated with the mitogen and antigens, and the cytokine levels in mitogen-stimulated culture supernatants assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher levels of the type 1 cytokines, interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2, were produced by the PTD group than by the normal pregnancy group, which on the contrary showed significantly greater production of the type 2 cytokines, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10. A comparison of the ratios of type 2 to type 1 cytokines is indicative of a type 1 cytokine bias in PTD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data are suggestive of a maternal type 1 cytokine bias in PTD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait. valsa@hsc.kuniv.edu.kw
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makhseed
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raghupathy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: El-Shazly
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Azizieh
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Al-Harmi
authors.forename: M M K
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Al-Azemi
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines