title: Nuclear factor-kappa B localization and function within intrauterine tissues from term and preterm labor and cultured fetal membranes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to quantify the nuclear localization and DNA binding activity of p65, the major transactivating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) subunit, in full-thickness fetal membranes (FM) and myometrium in the absence or presence of term or preterm labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired full-thickness FM and myometrial samples were collected from women in the following cohorts: preterm no labor (PNL, N = 22), spontaneous preterm labor (PTL, N = 21), term no labor (TNL, N = 23), and spontaneous term labor (STL, N = 21). NF-kappaB p65 localization was assessed by immunohistochemistry, and DNA binding activity was evaluated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nuclear p65 labeling was rare in amnion and chorion, irrespective of clinical context. In decidua, nuclear p65 labeling was greater in the STL group relative to the TNL cohort, but there were no differences among the TNL, PTL, and PNL cohorts. In myometrium, diffuse p65 nuclear labeling was significantly associated with both term and preterm labor. There were no significant differences in ELISA-based p65 binding activity in amnion, choriodecidual, and myometrial specimens in the absence or presence of term labor. However, parallel experiments using cultured term fetal membranes demonstrated high levels of p65-like binding even the absence of cytokine stimulation, suggesting that this assay may be of limited value when applied to tissue specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the decidua is an important site of NF-kappaB regulation in fetal membranes, and that mechanisms other than cytoplasmic sequestration may limit NF-kappaB activation prior to term.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Perinatal Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sonali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.forename: Asad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: Chong J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Taryn L S
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Summerfield
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kusanovic
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Iams
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kniss
authors.forename: William E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Ackerman
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D021381:Protein Transport; D047929:Term Birth / Q000378:metabolism*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014599:Uterus; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B