Positive association of serum interleukin-1beta and CRH levels in women with pre-term labor.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) might be involved in the increase of the circulating levels of placental-derived CRH leading to the initiation of pre-term labor.


METHODS
Forty-eight primigravidae with a singleton viable pregnancy between 28 and 34 weeks of gestation were studied. The subjects were divided in two groups: group A consisted of 30 pregnant women (mean age+/-SD; 22+/-1.1 yr old) presented with pre-term labor (mean gestational age+/-SD; 30.6+/-2.3 weeks) and group B consisted of 18 pregnant women (24+/-2.6 yr old) with normal pregnancies (29.8+/-3.1 weeks). CRH and IL-1beta levels were measured in blood specimens collected from all the study subjects on admission.


RESULTS
Women of group A presented significantly higher serum CRH levels (mean+/-SE; 1.18+/-1.83 ng/ml) compared to those of group B (0.48+/-0.67 ng/ml) (p<0.01). Similarly, serum IL-1beta levels were significantly higher in women of group A (0.45+/-0.12 pg/ml) compared to those of group B (0.31+/-0.08 pg/ml) (p<0.01). A positive correlation was found between serum IL-1beta and CRH (r=0.68, p=0.001) in women of group A (pre-term labor).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the increased levels of IL-1beta and CRH found in pregnant women presented with pre-term labor might be involved in the pathophysiologic mechanism of the latter. Furthermore, a positive interaction might exist between IL-1beta and placental CRH which might lead to enhanced production of the second, facilitating, thus, the onset of labor.
Vitoratos
N
N
2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sophias Av., 11528 Athens, Greece. nikolasvitoratos@yahoo.gr
Mastorakos
G
G
Kountouris
A
A
Papadias
K
K
Creatsas
G
G
D000328:Adult; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000097:blood*; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone