title: Effect of labor on plasma concentrations and postpartum clearance of cell-free, pregnancy-associated, placenta-specific microRNAs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the effect of labor on plasma concentrations of cell-free, pregnancy-associated, placenta-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) before and after delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the non-labor group (32 women), cesarean section (C/S) was performed before the beginning of labor. In the labor group (32 women), C/S was performed after the beginning of labor. Plasma concentrations of cell-free, pregnancy-associated, placenta-specific miRNAs (miR-515-3p, miR-517a, miR-517c, and miR-518b) were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. Each miRNA concentration was compared between the non-labor and labor groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before C/S, plasma concentrations of cell-free, pregnancy-associated, placenta-specific miRNAs in the labor group were significantly higher than those in the non-labor group (P = 0.001 for 515-3p, P = 0.002 for 517a, P = 0.001 for 517c, and P = 0.003 for 518b). Twenty-four hours after delivery, plasma concentrations of cell-free, pregnancy-associated, placenta-specific miRNAs in the labor group were significantly higher than those in the non-labor group (P = 0.002 for 515-3p, P = 0.017 for 517a, P = 0.043 for 517c, and P = 0.009 for 518b).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of labor affects cell-free, pregnancy-associated, placenta-specific miRNA levels in maternal plasma. Labor also affects postpartum clearance of these miRNAs 24 h after delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Shintaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morisaki
authors.forename: Kiyonori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Higashijima
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Yuri
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneuchi
authors.forename: Koh-ichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshiura
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masuzaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs