Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 expression is increased in human gestational tissues during term and preterm labor.
OBJECTIVE
Microarray analysis was used to characterize the labor-selective transcriptome of the human myometrium during labor. One highly up-regulated transcript, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), was further characterized.


METHODS
Expression of MCP-1 was evaluated in the myometrium, the placenta, the gestational membranes (GM) and the amniotic fluid (AF) by real time RT-PCR, Northern blot analysis and ELISA. The level of immunoreactive (IR) MCP-1 content of primary myometrial cultures treated with inflammatory cytokines was quantified by ELISA.


RESULTS
Up-regulation of the myometrial MCP-1 transcript in term laboring patients was demonstrated by microarray and confirmed by real time (RT)-PCR and Northern blot analysis. Increased MCP-1 transcripts were demonstrated in GM during term labor. The IR content of myometrial MCP-1 was increased during term labor and in the AF from patients experiencing preterm delivery. Levels of IR MCP-1 increased in myometrial cultures in response to interleukin 1-beta.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of myometrial MCP-1 was significantly increased during term labor and was similarly increased in vitro in response to interleukin 1-beta, a pro-inflammatory substance known to play a role in preterm birth. The increased IR content of MCP-1 within the AF preceding preterm delivery may render this protein a useful predictor of preterm birth.
Esplin
M Sean
MS
Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah Health Science Center, Salt Lake City, 84132, USA. mesplin@hsc.utah.edu
Peltier
M R
MR
Hamblin
S
S
Smith
S
S
Fausett
M Bardett
MB
Dildy
G A
GA
Branch
D Ware
DW
Silver
R M
RM
Adashi
E Y
EY
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D009215:Myometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation
C111835:CCL2 protein, human; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D007375:Interleukin-1; D012333:RNA, Messenger