title: Inflammatory and endothelial markers during the menstrual cycle.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The menstrual cycle exhibits a pattern of repeated inflammatory activity. The present study aims to evaluate inflammatory and endothelial markers during the two phases of a menstrual cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study cohort consisted of 102 women with regular menstrual cycles. Inflammatory and endothelial markers (interleukin-6 [IL-6], pentraxin-3 [PTX-3], hs-C reactive protein [hs-CRP], sE-selectin, sP-selectin, intracellular and vascular cell adhesion molecules [ICAM-1 and VCAM-1] and cathepsins L, B and S) were measured during the early follicular and the late luteal phase of a normal menstrual cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) and hs-CRP were significantly higher during the follicular phase compared to the luteal phase (p < 0.001 respectively p = 0.025). The other inflammatory and endothelial markers, with the exception of cathepsin B, were higher, albeit not significantly, during the follicular phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inflammatory activity, expressed mainly by members of the pentraxin family, is higher during the early follicular compared to the luteal phase. This could be associated to menstruation but the exact mechanisms behind this pattern are unclear and might involve the ovarian hormones or an effect on hepatocytes.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm ;
authors.forename: Roza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaireti
authors.affiliation: b Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , Linköping University , Linköping ;
authors.forename: Tomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Lindahl
authors.affiliation: c Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm ;
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Byström
authors.affiliation: c Department of Women's and Children's Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm ;
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bremme
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medical Sciences , Uppsala University , Uppsala , Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
keywords: Inflammation; menstrual cycle; pentraxin