title: Male gender promotes an increased inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide in umbilical vein blood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish gender-specific differences in maternal and fetal immune response in healthy human fetuses at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five women with elective caesarean sections for uncomplicated singleton pregnancies were recruited for two studies. Using a multiplex biomarker immunoassay system, unstimulated maternal and fetal plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-8, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured from one study population. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated cytokine response was measured in a second study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant gender differences in either maternal or fetal unstimulated plasma cytokine concentrations, but concentrations of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly greater in male fetal LPS-stimulated samples than in female fetal samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Blood of male fetuses mounts a larger pro-inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). This heightened response could be a critical pathway in promoting premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) and may be associated with life long differential gender response to infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Shunaha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim-Fine
authors.forename: Timothy R H
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Regnault
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Gimbel
authors.forename: Jill A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Greenspoon
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fairbairn
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Summers
authors.forename: Barbra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Vrijer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides