title: Transient lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine responses in the maternal serum and amniotic fluid of the guinea pig.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to characterize the pregnant guinea pig cytokine time course following a maternal inflammatory insult.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnant guinea pigs (n = 34) were injected intraperitoneally with 100 microg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 70% gestation and euthanized at 24 hours, 48 hours, or 5 days. Control animals were euthanized at 70% gestation without LPS exposure. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were quantified in the maternal serum and amniotic fluid by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-6 and IL-1beta concentrations were elevated in the maternal serum at 24 hours and returned to control levels by 5 days. In the amniotic fluid, IL-6 peaked at 48 hours and IL-1beta at 24 hours. TNF-alpha levels were not significantly increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal intraperitoneal LPS injection produces transient increases in cytokine concentrations in the maternal serum and amniotic fluid within 5 days, further implicating the cytokines as mediators of fetal white matter damage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Michelle A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: Erica L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Harnett
authors.forename: Carolina C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Venditti
authors.forename: Graeme N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002821:Chorioamnionitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha