title: Protein Profiling of Women with Spontaneous Preterm Birth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preterm birth (PTB) is the largest cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in the world. Ethnicity disparity in the occurrence of PTB has been associated with the cytokine function. In this study, we aimed at examining cytokine levels in women with spontaneous preterm and term births.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) between 24 and 31 weeks (n = 40) and women with spontaneous term birth between 37 and 41 weeks (n = 40) admitted to the University of Malaya Medical Centre from 2011 to 2013 were involved in this study. Plasma proteins were determined for 35 cytokines using ProcartaPlex™ immunoassay. Protein levels were compared between women with SPTB and women with term birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six specific cytokines were significantly high among women with SPTB. This includes TNFA (odds ratio (OR) 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-6.0, p = 0.001), MCP-3 (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.29-4.67, p = 0.007), IL16 (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.34-4.30, p = 0.003), IL17A (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.28-4.06, p = 0.005), IFNG (OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.0-8.0, p = 0.001), and farctalkine (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.17-4.22, p = 0.031), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study identifies high levels of specific cytokines in women with PTB. These inflammatory biomarkers may play an important role in the mechanisms that result in uterine contraction and PTB.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacogenomics Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Langmia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Immaculate Mbongo
authors.forename: Apalasamy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamunah Devi
authors.forename: Shamsul
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zain
authors.forename: Siti Zawiah
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Omar
authors.forename: Zahurin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mohamed
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000097:blood*; D047929:Term Birth / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators