Differences in the placental membrane cytokine response: a possible explanation for the racial disparity in preterm birth.
OBJECTIVE
The prematurity rate is higher in African-Americans (AA) compared with Caucasians (C). As spontaneous preterm labor has been hypothesized to be a host inflammatory response disease racial differences in human placental membrane inflammatory cytokine and prostaglandin pathway gene expression patterns between AA and C were examined in this report.


METHODS
Placental membranes (amniochorion) collected from AA and C women from cesareans at term were maintained in an organ explant system and stimulated with endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS). Microarray analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed on mRNAs and culture media from AA- and C-derived membranes to document any differences in mRNA expression and protein production of IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and expression of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1), COX-2 and 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (PGDH).


RESULTS
Increased mRNA expression of IL-1, IL-8 and COX-2 in AA and IL-6, IL-10, COX-1 and PGDH in C were documented after LPS stimulation. Concentration of IL-1 was significantly higher in media derived from AA whereas IL-6 and IL-10 concentrations were higher in C with no differences observed in IL-8 after LPS stimulation compared with respective unstimulated controls.


CONCLUSIONS
These data document ethnic diversity in placental membrane immune response.
Menon
Ramkumar
R
The Perinatal Research Center of The Women's Health Research and Education Foundation, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. fortunat@edge.net
Merialdi
Mario
M
Lombardi
Salvatore J
SJ
Fortunato
Stephen J
SJ
D001741:Black or African American; D000650:Amnion / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People
D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides