Gelsolin down-regulates lipopolysaccharide-induced intraamniotic tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in the midtrimester of pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify gelsolin in midtrimester amniotic fluid and evaluate its interaction with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).


METHODS
Supernatants from 40 midtrimester amniotic fluid samples were incubated with Escherichia coli LPS, and gelsolin binding was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Unfractionated aliquots of 25 of the fluids were cultured ex vivo for 24 hours in the presence of LPS and supernatants tested for tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10 production, and the influence of antigelsolin antibody was evaluated.


RESULTS
Each amniotic fluid was positive for gelsolin that bound to LPS. LPS-induced TNF-alpha production was inversely proportional to the amniotic fluid concentrations of LPS-bound gelsolin (r = -0.5047; P = .006). Preincubation with monoclonal antibody to gelsolin led to an increase in LPS-induced TNF-alpha production (P = .01). There was no relationship between gelsolin and IL-10 production.


CONCLUSIONS
Gelsolin is present in midtrimester amniotic fluid, binds to LPS, and inhibits the induction of TNF-alpha.
Sezen
Devrim
D
Division of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Bongiovanni
Ann Marie
AM
Gelber
Shari
S
Perni
Uma
U
Hutson
J Milton
JM
Skupski
Daniel
D
Witkin
Steven S
SS
D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D018260:Gelsolin / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology*
D018260:Gelsolin; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha