title: Expression of IL-4, IL-8 and IL-18 messenger RNAs in maternal peripheral blood and relationships with the HbF-gamma chain mRNA in it.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to examine immunological changes in maternal peripheral blood and the relationship of these changes with the amount of fetal cells in the blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-8, IL-18 and fetal hemoglobin gamma chain (HbF-gamma chain) messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in maternal peripheral blood was measured by a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In maternal peripheral blood, the expression of IL-4 mRNA was up-regulated from the second gestational month (GM) to delivery. The expression of IL-8 and IL-18 mRNAs was down-regulated from the third or fourth GM until the eighth or ninth GM, respectively, and both increased before the onset of labor, though IL-4 mRNA decreased. The expression of IL-8 and IL-18, but not IL-4, mRNAs was correlated with that of HbF-gamma chain mRNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunological interactions between maternal peripheral immune cells and fetal cells appear to be related to the onset of labor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kawaramachi Hirokouji, Kamigyo-Ku, Kyoto, Japan. ckato@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Takaya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kojima
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Honjo
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D020382:Interleukin-18; D016209:Interleukin-8; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin