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Hamburg-Shields E, Mesiano S. The hormonal control of parturition. Physiol Rev 2024; 104:1121-1145. [PMID: 38329421 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Parturition is a complex physiological process that must occur in a reliable manner and at an appropriate gestation stage to ensure a healthy newborn and mother. To this end, hormones that affect the function of the gravid uterus, especially progesterone (P4), 17β-estradiol (E2), oxytocin (OT), and prostaglandins (PGs), play pivotal roles. P4 via the nuclear P4 receptor (PR) promotes uterine quiescence and for most of pregnancy exerts a dominant block to labor. Loss of the P4 block to parturition in association with a gain in prolabor actions of E2 are key transitions in the hormonal cascade leading to parturition. P4 withdrawal can occur through various mechanisms depending on species and physiological context. Parturition in most species involves inflammation within the uterine tissues and especially at the maternal-fetal interface. Local PGs and other inflammatory mediators may initiate parturition by inducing P4 withdrawal. Withdrawal of the P4 block is coordinated with increased E2 actions to enhance uterotonic signals mediated by OT and PGs to promote uterine contractions, cervix softening, and membrane rupture, i.e., labor. This review examines recent advances in research to understand the hormonal control of parturition, with focus on the roles of P4, E2, PGs, OT, inflammatory cytokines, and placental peptide hormones together with evolutionary biology of and implications for clinical management of human parturition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Hamburg-Shields
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
| | - Sam Mesiano
- Department of Reproductive Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio, United States
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Romero R, Meyyazhagan A, Hassan SS, Creasy GW, Conde-Agudelo A. Vaginal Progesterone to Prevent Spontaneous Preterm Birth in Women With a Sonographic Short Cervix: The Story of the PREGNANT Trial. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2024; 67:433-457. [PMID: 38576410 PMCID: PMC11047312 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The PREGNANT trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial designed to determine the efficacy and safety of vaginal progesterone (VP) to reduce the risk of birth < 33 weeks and of neonatal complications in women with a sonographic short cervix (10 to 20 mm) in the mid-trimester (19 to 23 6/7 wk). Patients allocated to receive VP had a 45% lower rate of preterm birth (8.9% vs 16.1%; relative risk = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.33-0.92). Neonates born to mothers allocated to VP had a 60% reduction in the rate of respiratory distress syndrome. This article reviews the background, design, execution, interpretation, and impact of the PREGNANT Trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Arun Meyyazhagan
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
- Centre of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Sonia S. Hassan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
- Office of Women’s Health, Integrative Biosciences Center, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - George W. Creasy
- Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, New York
| | - Agustin Conde-Agudelo
- Oxford Maternal and Perinatal Health Institute, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Ji Kim H, Choi J, Ji Oh E, Lee KN, Yoon Park J, Joon Oh K. Semi-quantitative metalloproteinase-8 rapid test for the prediction of adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 297:65-71. [PMID: 38581887 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2024.03.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine whether the semi-quantitative metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) bedside test is a worthwhile indicator in reflecting the severity of of intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI) and in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes. STUDY DESIGN This retrospective cohort study comprised 76 singleton-pregnant women admitted to the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital with a diagnosis of preterm premature rupture of membranes (preterm PROM) between 20 weeks 0 days and 33 weeks 6 days of gestation who underwent trans-abdominal amniocentesis to confirm intra-amniotic infection by positive results for aerobic/anaerobic bacteria, fungi, and genital mycoplasma and evaluate lung maturity. The semi-quantitative MMP-8 rapid test kit employs a colourimetric assay to quantify MMP-8 levels in amniotic fluid (AF), expressing results from 0 to 100 percent. Participants were divided into three groups: group 1, including negative MMP-8 test with colour scale of 0 % (negative, n = 17); group 2, including positive MMP-8 test with colour scale < 51 % (weak positive, n = 21); and group 3, including positive MMP-8 test with colour scale of 51 %-100 % (strong positive, n = 38). RESULTS Approximately 78 % (59/76) of the participants showed a positive MMP-8 test result; all culture-proven AF samples (33.3 % [25/75]) yielded positive MMP-8 test, categorizing these patients into either group 2 or group 3. A significant trend was observed where the rate of positive culture-proven samples increased with the progression from group 1 (negative) to group 3 (strong positive). Both white blood cell counts in AF and maternal serum C-reactive protein levels were found to escalate with the progression of test results from negative to strong positive. This progression was associated with an increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth within 48 h, 7 days, and 14 days from amniocentesis and within 34 weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION The more the test results progress from negative to strong positive, the shorter the interval from amniocentesis to delivery becomes, and the higher the risk of intra-amniotic infection, spontaneous preterm delivery, and other perinatal complications. This relationship highlights the critical value of the semi-quantitative MMP-8 rapid test in predicting adverse pregnancy outcomes in patients with preterm PROM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon Ji Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihyun Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Ji Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyong-No Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee Yoon Park
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Joon Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Zhang Y, Edwards SA, House M. Cerclage prevents ascending intrauterine infection in pregnant mice. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:555.e1-555.e8. [PMID: 37816485 PMCID: PMC10999506 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The treatment for cervical insufficiency is cerclage surgery. Although cerclage is a common therapy for prevention of preterm birth, there is no consensus about its mechanism of efficacy. Previous investigators have hypothesized that cerclage prevents preterm birth by improving the cervical barrier to ascending infection. However, this hypothesis is difficult to study in human pregnancy. OBJECTIVE In a mouse model of ascending infection, we hypothesized that a cerclage improves the cervical barrier leading to decreased ascending intrauterine infection and inflammation. An abdominal cerclage was studied because a vaginal cerclage is not feasible in mice. STUDY DESIGN To perform an abdominal cerclage, laparotomy was performed on timed, pregnant C57BL/6 mice on gestational day 10 (E10). A 6-0 silk suture was placed around the cervix just below the junction of the 2 uterine horns. Sham controls received the same surgery, but no cerclage was placed. To track ascending infection nonpathogenic E coli K12 was genetically modified to express bioluminescence. On E15, bioluminescent E coli K12 (20 μL of 1×109 bacteria) was inoculated into the vagina. Whole-body bioluminescence imaging was performed 0.5 hours and 24 hours after inoculation. To assess intrauterine inflammation, pathogenic E coli K1 was used. On E15, bacterial inoculums of E coli K1 (20 μL of 1×104 bacteria) were vaginally administered. Samples of uterus, placenta, and fetal membranes were collected 24 hours after inoculation. Gene expression of inflammation-related proteins was compared between 3 groups: (1) sham control surgery + inoculation of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), (2) sham control surgery + inoculation of E coli K1, and (3) cerclage surgery + inoculation of E coli K1. RESULTS Abdominal cerclage was well tolerated. No cases of preterm birth were seen following abdominal cerclage. Whole-body bioluminescent imaging performed 0.5 hours post inoculation showed a strong luminescence signal in the vaginal region of mice in both control and experimental groups indicating successful bacteria inoculation. Twenty-four hours after inoculation, bioluminescent signal was seen ascending into the uterine horns in all control mice. However, in mice with abdominal cerclages, no bioluminescent signal was seen after 24 hours. When the reproductive tissues were imaged separately in control mice, strong bioluminescence signal was detected in the placenta, fetal membranes, and uterus. Gene expression studies showed that cerclage significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory proteins induced by E coli K1 in the uterus, placenta, and fetal membranes. CONCLUSION In this mouse model of ascending intrauterine infection, abdominal cerclage prevented ascending infection of E coli. In addition, abdominal cerclage prevented expression of inflammatory cytokines in the uterus, placenta, and membranes of mice. The study provides evidence for a potential mechanism of cerclage success in human pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Zhang
- Mother Infant Research Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Skye A Edwards
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, MA
| | - Michael House
- Mother Infant Research Center, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA; Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA.
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Kadivnik M, Plečko D, Kralik K, Arvaj N, Wagner J. Role of IL-6, IL-10 and TNFα Gene Variants in Preterm Birth. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2429. [PMID: 38673702 PMCID: PMC11051338 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13082429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The association of gene variants for interleukin 6 (IL-6) (rs1800796), interleukin 10 (IL-10) (rs1800896) and tumor necrosis factorα (TNFα (rs1800629) with the occurrence of spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) was investigated to determine whether these genetic variants are a risk factor. Methods: A total of 199 blood samples from pregnant women who had given birth prematurely and 200 control blood samples were analyzed to determine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes for IL-6 (rs1800796), IL-10 (rs1800896) and TNFα (rs1800629). The control samples were samples from pregnant women with term delivery. The isolation of DNA was performed on mini-spin columns according to the manufacturer's protocol. The quality and purity of the isolated DNA were tested using a Qubit 3 fluorometer. Genotyping was performed with an ABI PRISM 7500 SDS using TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. The genotypes obtained were analyzed using the 7500 Software v2.3 package. Results: Carriers of the A/A genotype for the rs1800629 SNP of the TNFα gene have a 4.81 times greater chance of late-onset PTB compared to carriers of the G/G and A/G genotypes in the recessive inheritance model. The presence of the G/G genotype in the recessive inheritance model compared with the G/A and A/A genotypes for the rs1800896 SNP of the IL-10 gene represents a potentially protective factor, with mothers in the term-birth group having an almost 2-fold lower odds of PTB in general and an almost 10-fold lower odds of early PTB. On the other hand, carriers of the A/G genotype of rs1800896 have a 1.54-fold higher chance of preterm birth in general and a 1.6-fold higher chance of late preterm birth in the superdominant inheritance model compared to the A/A and G/G genotypes in the group of mothers with PTB. In this study, no association was found between PTB and the rs1800796 SNP of the IL-6 gene. Conclusions: rs1800629 in mothers was associated with PTB. rs1800896 shows a potentially protective effect for the occurrence of PTB in this study. No association was found between PTB and rs1800796.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirta Kadivnik
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Center Osijek, J. Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia;
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University, J. Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Deni Plečko
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University, J. Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (D.P.)
| | - Kristina Kralik
- Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University, J. Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
| | - Nena Arvaj
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University, J. Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (D.P.)
| | - Jasenka Wagner
- Department of Medical Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, J.J. Strossmayer University, J. Huttlera 4, 31000 Osijek, Croatia; (D.P.)
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Brennan PLR, Purdy S, Bacon SJ. Intra-horn insemination in the alpaca Vicugna pacos: Copulatory wounding and deep sperm deposition. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295882. [PMID: 38630763 PMCID: PMC11023217 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpacas (Vicugna pacos) are reported to be the rare mammal in which the penis enters the uterus in mating. To date, however, only circumstantial evidence supports this assertion. Using female alpacas culled for meat, we determined that the alpaca penis penetrates to the very tips of the uterine horns, abrading the tract and breaking fine blood vessels. All female alpacas sacrificed one hour or 24 hours after mating showed conspicuous bleeding in the epithelium of some region of their reproductive tract, including the hymen, cervix and the tips of each uterine horn, but typically not in the vagina. Unmated females showed no evidence of conspicuous bleeding. Histological examination of mated females revealed widespread abrasion of the cervical and endometrial epithelium, injuries absent in unmated females. Within one hour of mating, sperm were already present in the oviduct. The male alpaca's cartilaginous penis tip with a hardened urethral process is likely responsible for the copulatory abrasion. The entire female reproductive tract interacts with the penis, functioning like a vagina. Alpacas are induced ovulators, and wounding may hasten delivery of the seminal ovulation-inducing factor beta-NGF into the female's blood stream. There is no evidence of sexual conflict in copulation in alpaca, and thus wounding may also be one of a variety of mechanisms devised by mammals to induce a beneficial, short-term inflammatory response that stimulates blastocyst implantation, the uterine remodeling associated with placental development, and thus the success of early pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia L. R. Brennan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, United States of America
| | - Stephen Purdy
- North American Camelid Studies Program, Nunoa Project, Belchertown, MA, United States of America
| | - Sarah J. Bacon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, United States of America
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Short CES, Byrne L, Hagan-Bezgin A, Quinlan RA, Anderson J, Brook G, De Alwis O, de Ruiter A, Farrugia P, Fidler S, Hamlyn E, Hartley A, Murphy S, Noble H, Oomeer S, Roedling S, Rosenvinge M, Rubinstein L, Shah R, Singh S, Thorne E, Toby M, Wait B, Sarner L, Taylor GP. Pregnancy Management in HIV Viral Controllers: Twenty Years of Experience. Pathogens 2024; 13:308. [PMID: 38668263 PMCID: PMC11054990 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: The evidence base for the management of spontaneous viral controllers in pregnancy is lacking. We describe the management outcomes of pregnancies in a series of UK women with spontaneous HIV viral control (<100 copies/mL 2 occasions before or after pregnancy off ART). (2) Methods: A multi-centre, retrospective case series (1999-2021) comparing pre- and post-2012 when guidelines departed from zidovudine-monotherapy (ZDVm) as a first-line option. Demographic, virologic, obstetric and neonatal information were anonymised, collated and analysed in SPSS. (3) Results: A total of 49 live births were recorded in 29 women, 35 pre-2012 and 14 post. HIV infection was more commonly diagnosed in first reported pregnancy pre-2012 (15/35) compared to post (2/14), p = 0.10. Pre-2012 pregnancies were predominantly managed with ZDVm (28/35) with pre-labour caesarean section (PLCS) (24/35). Post-2012 4/14 received ZDVm and 10/14 triple ART, p = 0.002. Post-2012 mode of delivery was varied (5 vaginal, 6 PLCS and 3 emergency CS). No intrapartum ZDV infusions were given post-2012 compared to 11/35 deliveries pre-2012. During pregnancy, HIV was detected (> 50 copies/mL) in 14/49 pregnancies (29%) (median 92, range 51-6084). Neonatal ZDV post-exposure prophylaxis was recorded for 45/49 infants. No transmissions were reported. (4) Conclusion: UK practice has been influenced by the change in guidelines, but this has had little impact on CS rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte-Eve S. Short
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- Imperial College NIHR BRC, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Laura Byrne
- School of Medicine, St Georges, University of London, London SW17 0RE, UK
- St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Trust, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Aishah Hagan-Bezgin
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, UK
| | - Rachael A. Quinlan
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- Imperial College NIHR BRC, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Jane Anderson
- Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London E9 6SR, UK
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow HA1 3UJ, UK
| | - Gary Brook
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow HA1 3UJ, UK
| | | | - Annemiek de Ruiter
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
- ViiV Healthcare, Brentford TW8 9GS, UK
| | - Pippa Farrugia
- Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Sarah Fidler
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- Imperial College NIHR BRC, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
| | - Eleanor Hamlyn
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
| | - Anna Hartley
- Barts Health NHS Trust, London E1 1BB, UK
- Leeds University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Leeds LS1 3EX, UK
| | - Siobhan Murphy
- London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust, Harrow HA1 3UJ, UK
| | | | - Soonita Oomeer
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London NW1 3AX, UK
| | - Sherie Roedling
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, London NW1 3AX, UK
| | | | | | - Rimi Shah
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, UK
| | | | - Elizabeth Thorne
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
| | | | - Brenton Wait
- Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, London E9 6SR, UK
| | | | - Graham P. Taylor
- Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK
- Imperial College NIHR BRC, Imperial College London, London W2 1NY, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London W2 1NY, UK
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Marti DT, Bratosin F, Rosca O, Folescu R, Citu C, Ratiu A, Popa ZL. Impact of Genital Infections and Antibiotic Use on Incidence of Preterm Birth: A Retrospective Observational Study. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:240. [PMID: 38534675 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13030240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the complex interplay among genital infections, antibiotic usage, and preterm birth. This study aims to identify common genital pathogens associated with preterm births, assess the impact of various antibiotic treatments on pregnancy outcomes, and understand antibiotic resistance patterns among these pathogens. This study included 71 pregnant women who experienced preterm birth and 94 women with genital infections who delivered at term. Various maternal characteristics, medical history, signs and symptoms, gestational weight, gestational age, type of birth, vaginal pH, Nugent scores, and vaginal flora were analyzed. Antibiotic resistance patterns of isolated microorganisms were also examined. The prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and genital herpes was significantly higher in the preterm group. Preterm births were associated with fever, pelvic pain, vaginal spotting, and fatigue. Vaginal pH levels and Nugent scores were significantly higher in the preterm group, indicating disturbed vaginal flora. The presence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases (ESBLs) was a particularly strong risk factor, increasing by more than four times the odds of preterm birth (OR = 4.45, p = 0.001). Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) presence was another critical factor, with a four-fold increase in the odds of preterm birth (OR = 4.01, p = 0.034). The overall presence of Multidrug-Resistant (MDR) organisms significantly increased the odds of preterm birth (OR = 3.73, p = 0.001). Specific pathogens like Chlamydia trachomatis (OR = 3.12, p = 0.020) and Mycoplasma hominis (OR = 3.64, p = 0.006) were also identified as significant risk factors. Ureaplasma urealyticum also showed a significantly higher risk of preterm birth (OR = 2.76, p = 0.009). This study highlights the importance of screening for and treating genital infections during pregnancy, especially STDs and genital herpes, as they can significantly increase the risk of preterm birth. Additionally, the presence of specific microorganisms and antibiotic resistance patterns plays an essential role in preterm birth risk. Early detection and targeted antibiotic treatment may help mitigate this risk and improve pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Teodora Marti
- Clinical Analysis Laboratory, Emergency Clinical Hospital of Arad County, 310037 Arad, Romania
- Department of Biology and Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis University of Medicine, 310048 Arad, Romania
| | - Felix Bratosin
- Department of Infectious Diseases, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Doctoral School, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Ovidiu Rosca
- Department of Infectious Diseases, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Doctoral School, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
- Methodological and Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Roxana Folescu
- Department of Family Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Cosmin Citu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Adrian Ratiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Zoran Laurentiu Popa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
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Jung E, Romero R, Suksai M, Gotsch F, Chaemsaithong P, Erez O, Conde-Agudelo A, Gomez-Lopez N, Berry SM, Meyyazhagan A, Yoon BH. Clinical chorioamnionitis at term: definition, pathogenesis, microbiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2024; 230:S807-S840. [PMID: 38233317 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Clinical chorioamnionitis, the most common infection-related diagnosis in labor and delivery units, is an antecedent of puerperal infection and neonatal sepsis. The condition is suspected when intrapartum fever is associated with two other maternal and fetal signs of local or systemic inflammation (eg, maternal tachycardia, uterine tenderness, maternal leukocytosis, malodorous vaginal discharge or amniotic fluid, and fetal tachycardia). Clinical chorioamnionitis is a syndrome caused by intraamniotic infection, sterile intraamniotic inflammation (inflammation without bacteria), or systemic maternal inflammation induced by epidural analgesia. In cases of uncertainty, a definitive diagnosis can be made by analyzing amniotic fluid with methods to detect bacteria (Gram stain, culture, or microbial nucleic acid) and inflammation (white blood cell count, glucose concentration, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, matrix metalloproteinase-8). The most common microorganisms are Ureaplasma species, and polymicrobial infections occur in 70% of cases. The fetal attack rate is low, and the rate of positive neonatal blood cultures ranges between 0.2% and 4%. Intrapartum antibiotic administration is the standard treatment to reduce neonatal sepsis. Treatment with ampicillin and gentamicin have been recommended by professional societies, although other antibiotic regimens, eg, cephalosporins, have been used. Given the importance of Ureaplasma species as a cause of intraamniotic infection, consideration needs to be given to the administration of antimicrobial agents effective against these microorganisms such as azithromycin or clarithromycin. We have used the combination of ceftriaxone, clarithromycin, and metronidazole, which has been shown to eradicate intraamniotic infection with microbiologic studies. Routine testing of neonates born to affected mothers for genital mycoplasmas could improve the detection of neonatal sepsis. Clinical chorioamnionitis is associated with decreased uterine activity, failure to progress in labor, and postpartum hemorrhage; however, clinical chorioamnionitis by itself is not an indication for cesarean delivery. Oxytocin is often administered for labor augmentation, and it is prudent to have uterotonic agents at hand to manage postpartum hemorrhage. Infants born to mothers with clinical chorioamnionitis near term are at risk for early-onset neonatal sepsis and for long-term disability such as cerebral palsy. A frontier is the noninvasive assessment of amniotic fluid to diagnose intraamniotic inflammation with a transcervical amniotic fluid collector and a rapid bedside test for IL-8 for patients with ruptured membranes. This approach promises to improve diagnostic accuracy and to provide a basis for antimicrobial administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunjung Jung
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI.
| | - Manaphat Suksai
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
| | - Francesca Gotsch
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Piya Chaemsaithong
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mahidol University, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Offer Erez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Agustin Conde-Agudelo
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
| | - Stanley M Berry
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI
| | - Arun Meyyazhagan
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI; Centre of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Bo Hyun Yoon
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Biomedical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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10
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Avena-Zampieri CL, Hutter J, Uus A, Deprez M, Payette K, Hall M, Bafadhel M, Russell REK, Milan A, Rutherford M, Shennan A, Greenough A, Story L. Functional MRI assessment of the lungs in fetuses that deliver very Preterm: An MRI pilot study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2024; 293:106-114. [PMID: 38141484 PMCID: PMC10929943 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To compare mean pulmonary T2* values and pulmonary volumes in fetuses that subsequently spontaneously delivered before 32 weeks with a control cohort with comparable gestational ages and to assess the value of mean pulmonary T2* as a predictor of preterm birth < 32 weeks' gestation. METHODS MRI datasets scanned at similar gestational ages were selected from fetuses who spontaneously delivered < 32 weeks of gestation and a control group who subsequently delivered at term with no complications. All women underwent a fetal MRI on a 3 T MRI imaging system. Sequences included T2-weighted single shot fast spin echo and T2* sequences, using gradient echo single shot echo planar sequencing of the fetal thorax. Motion correction was performed using slice-to-volume reconstruction and T2* maps generated using in-house pipelines. Lungs were manually segmented and volumes and mean T2* values calculated for both lungs combined and left and right lung separately. Linear regression was used to compare values between the preterm and control cohorts accounting for the effects of gestation. Receiver operating curves were generated for mean T2* values and pulmonary volume as predictors of preterm birth < 32 weeks' gestation. RESULTS Datasets from twenty-eight preterm and 74 control fetuses were suitable for analysis. MRI images were taken at similar fetal gestational ages (preterm cohort (mean ± SD) 24.9 ± 3.3 and control cohort (mean ± SD) 26.5 ± 3.0). Mean gestational age at delivery was 26.4 ± 3.3 for the preterm group and 39.9 ± 1.3 for the control group. Mean pulmonary T2* values remained constant with increasing gestational age while pulmonary volumes increased. Both T2* and pulmonary volumes were lower in the preterm group than in the control group for all parameters (both combined, left, and right lung (p < 0.001 in all cases). Adjusted for gestational age, pulmonary volumes and mean T2* values were good predictors of premature delivery in fetuses < 32 weeks (area under the curve of 0.828 and 0.754 respectively). CONCLUSION These findings indicate that mean pulmonary T2* values and volumes were lower in fetuses that subsequently delivered very preterm. This may suggest potentially altered oxygenation and indicate that pulmonary morbidity associated with prematurity has an antenatal antecedent. Future work should explore these results correlating antenatal findings with long term pulmonary outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla L Avena-Zampieri
- Department of Women and Children's Health King's College London, United Kingdom; Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jana Hutter
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Alena Uus
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Deprez
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Kelly Payette
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom; Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Megan Hall
- Department of Women and Children's Health King's College London, United Kingdom; Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom; Fetal Medicine Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
| | - Mona Bafadhel
- King's Centre for Lung Health, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Richard E K Russell
- King's Centre for Lung Health, School of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Milan
- Neonatal Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
| | - Mary Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Shennan
- Department of Women and Children's Health King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Greenough
- Department of Women and Children's Health King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Story
- Department of Women and Children's Health King's College London, United Kingdom; Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, United Kingdom; Fetal Medicine Unit, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom
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11
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Jiang Y, Lai X, Liu Y, Yang C, Liu Z, Liu X, Yu T, Chen C, Khanniche A, Fan J, Lin Y, Zeng W. CD8 + T cells in fetal membranes display a unique phenotype, and their activation is involved in the pathophysiology of spontaneous preterm birth. J Pathol 2024; 262:240-253. [PMID: 38018407 DOI: 10.1002/path.6229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
Preterm labor/birth is the leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide. Previous studies demonstrated that T cells were crucial for maintaining maternal-fetal immune tolerance during the first trimester of pregnancy; however, their phenotypes and functions in labor and delivery remain largely unknown. We recruited three cohorts of women at delivery for T-cell immunophenotyping in the placentas, fetal membranes, umbilical cord blood, and maternal peripheral blood. Our data showed a differential enrichment of T cells during the third trimester of human pregnancy, with CD4+ T cells being more observable within the umbilical cord blood, whereas CD8+ T cells became relatively more abundant in fetal membranes. CD4+ and CD8+ T cells derived from fetal membranes were dominated by effector memory T cells and exhibited extensive expression of activation markers but decreased expression of homing receptor. In comparison with term births, fetal membrane CD8+ T cells, especially the central memory subset, were significantly increased in frequency and showed more profound activation in spontaneous preterm birth patients. Finally, using an allogeneic mouse model, we found that T-cell-activation-induced preterm birth could be alleviated by the depletion of CD8+ T but not CD4+ T cells in vivo. Collectively, we showed that CD8+ T cells in fetal membranes displayed a unique phenotype, and their activation was involved in the pathophysiology of spontaneous preterm birth, which provides novel insights into the immune mechanisms of preterm birth and potential targets for the prevention of this syndrome. © 2023 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Jiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Xintong Lai
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yuxu Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Cheng Yang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, PR China
| | - Zhicui Liu
- Department of Dermatology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Xiaorui Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Tiantian Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Cailian Chen
- Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Key Laboratory of System Control and Information Processing, Ministry of Education of China, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Asma Khanniche
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Jianxia Fan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yi Lin
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Weihong Zeng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, The International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, PR China
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12
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Kong D, Tao Y, Xiao H, Xiong H, Wei W, Cai M. Predicting preterm birth using auto-ML frameworks: a large observational study using electronic inpatient discharge data. Front Pediatr 2024; 12:1330420. [PMID: 38362001 PMCID: PMC10867966 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1330420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Background To develop and compare different AutoML frameworks and machine learning models to predict premature birth. Methods The study used a large electronic medical record database to include 715,962 participants who had the principal diagnosis code of childbirth. Three Automatic Machine Learning (AutoML) were used to construct machine learning models including tree-based models, ensembled models, and deep neural networks on the training sample (N = 536,971). The area under the curve (AUC) and training times were used to assess the performance of the prediction models, and feature importance was computed via permutation-shuffling. Results The H2O AutoML framework had the highest median AUC of 0.846, followed by AutoGluon (median AUC: 0.840) and Auto-sklearn (median AUC: 0.820), and the median training time was the lowest for H2O AutoML (0.14 min), followed by AutoGluon (0.16 min) and Auto-sklearn (4.33 min). Among different types of machine learning models, the Gradient Boosting Machines (GBM) or Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), stacked ensemble, and random forrest models had better predictive performance, with median AUC scores being 0.846, 0.846, and 0.842, respectively. Important features related to preterm birth included premature rupture of membrane (PROM), incompetent cervix, occupation, and preeclampsia. Conclusions Our study highlights the potential of machine learning models in predicting the risk of preterm birth using readily available electronic medical record data, which have significant implications for improving prenatal care and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deming Kong
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Ye Tao
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Haiyan Xiao
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Huini Xiong
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Weizhong Wei
- Wuhan Children’s Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Miao Cai
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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13
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Gerety MK, Kim DK, Carpenter RM, Ma JZ, Chisholm C, Taniuchi M, Islam MO, Pholwat S, Platts-Mills JA, Siraj MS, Billah SM, Haque R, Petri WA. Systemic inflammation, enteropathogenic E. Coli, and micronutrient insufficiencies in the first trimester as possible predictors of preterm birth in rural Bangladesh: a prospective study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2024; 24:82. [PMID: 38267943 PMCID: PMC10807221 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-024-06266-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An incomplete understanding of preterm birth is especially concerning for low-middle income countries, where preterm birth has poorer prognoses. While systemic proinflammatory processes are a reportedly normal component of gestation, excessive inflammation has been demonstrated as a risk factor for preterm birth. There is minimal research on the impact of excessive maternal inflammation in the first trimester on the risk of preterm birth in low-middle income countries specifically. METHODS Pregnant women were enrolled at the rural Bangladesh site of the National Institute of Child Health Global Network Maternal Newborn Health Registry. Serum samples were collected to measure concentrations of the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), and stool samples were collected and analyzed for enteropathogens. We examined associations of maternal markers in the first-trimester with preterm birth using logistic regression models. CRP and AGP were primarily modeled with a composite inflammation predictor. RESULTS Out of 376 singleton births analyzed, 12.5% were preterm. First trimester inflammation was observed in 58.8% of all births, and was significantly associated with increased odds of preterm birth (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03, 5.16), independent of anemia. Maternal vitamin B12 insufficiency (aOR = 3.33; 95% CI: 1.29, 8.21) and maternal anemia (aOR = 2.56; 95% CI: 1.26, 5.17) were also associated with higher odds of preterm birth. Atypical enteropathogenic E. coli detection showed a significant association with elevated AGP levels and was significantly associated with preterm birth (odds ratio [OR] = 2.36; 95% CI: 1.21, 4.57), but not associated with CRP. CONCLUSIONS Inflammation, anemia, and vitamin B12 insufficiency in the first trimester were significantly associated with preterm birth in our cohort from rural Bangladesh. Inflammation and anemia were independent predictors of premature birth in this low-middle income setting where inflammation during gestation was widespread. Further research is needed to identify if infections such as enteropathogenic E. coli are a cause of inflammation in the first trimester, and if intervention for infection would decrease preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan K Gerety
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Debora K Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rebecca M Carpenter
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jennie Z Ma
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Christian Chisholm
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Mami Taniuchi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Md Ohedul Islam
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Suporn Pholwat
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - James A Platts-Mills
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Md Shahjahan Siraj
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sk Masum Billah
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rashidul Haque
- The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease and Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - William A Petri
- Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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14
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Suleri A, Rommel AS, Neumann A, Luo M, Hillegers M, de Witte L, Bergink V, Cecil CAM. Exposure to prenatal infection and the development of internalizing and externalizing problems in children: a longitudinal population-based study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2023. [PMID: 38158849 DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.13923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A large body of work has reported a link between prenatal exposure to infection and increased psychiatric risk in offspring. However, studies to date have focused primarily on exposure to severe prenatal infections and/or individual psychiatric diagnoses in clinical samples, typically measured at single time points, and without accounting for important genetic and environmental confounders. In this study, we investigated whether exposure to common infections during pregnancy is prospectively associated with repeatedly assessed child psychiatric symptoms in a large population-based study. METHODS Our study was embedded in a prospective pregnancy cohort (Generation R; n = 3,598 mother-child dyads). We constructed a comprehensive prenatal infection score comprising common infections for each trimester of pregnancy. Child total, internalizing, and externalizing problems were assessed repeatedly using the parent-rated Child Behavioral Checklist (average age: 1.5, 3, 6, 10, and 14 years). Linear mixed-effects models were run adjusting for a range of confounders, including child polygenic scores for psychopathology, maternal chronic illness, birth complications, and infections during childhood. We also investigated trimester-specific effects and child sex as a potential moderator. RESULTS Prenatal exposure to infections was associated with higher child total, internalizing, and externalizing problems, showing temporally persistent effects, even after adjusting for important genetic and environmental confounders. We found no evidence that prenatal infections were associated with changes in child psychiatric symptoms over time. Moreover, in our trimester-specific analysis, we did not find evidence of significant timing effects of prenatal infection on child psychiatric symptoms. No interactions with child sex were identified. CONCLUSIONS Our research adds to evidence that common prenatal infections may be a risk factor for psychiatric symptoms in children. We also extend previous findings by showing that these associations are present early on, and that rather than changing over time, they persist into adolescence. However, unmeasured confounding may still explain in part these associations. In the future, employing more advanced causal inference designs will be crucial to establishing the degree to which these effects are causal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Suleri
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Anna-Sophie Rommel
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mannan Luo
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Manon Hillegers
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Lotje de Witte
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Veerle Bergink
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Charlotte A M Cecil
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Molecular Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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15
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Creswell L, Rolnik DL, Lindow SW, O’Gorman N. Preterm Birth: Screening and Prediction. Int J Womens Health 2023; 15:1981-1997. [PMID: 38146587 PMCID: PMC10749552 DOI: 10.2147/ijwh.s436624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) affects approximately 10% of births globally each year and is the most significant direct cause of neonatal death and of long-term disability worldwide. Early identification of women at high risk of PTB is important, given the availability of evidence-based, effective screening modalities, which facilitate decision-making on preventative strategies, particularly transvaginal sonographic cervical length (CL) measurement. There is growing evidence that combining CL with quantitative fetal fibronectin (qfFN) and maternal risk factors in the extensively peer-reviewed and validated QUanititative Innovation in Predicting Preterm birth (QUiPP) application can aid both the triage of patients who present as emergencies with symptoms of preterm labor and high-risk asymptomatic women attending PTB surveillance clinics. The QUiPP app risk of delivery thus supports shared decision-making with patients on the need for increased outpatient surveillance, in-patient treatment for preterm labor or simply reassurance for those unlikely to deliver preterm. Effective triage of patients at preterm gestations is an obstetric clinical priority as correctly timed administration of antenatal corticosteroids will maximise their neonatal benefits. This review explores the predictive capacity of existing predictive tests for PTB in both singleton and multiple pregnancies, including the QUiPP app v.2. and discusses promising new research areas, which aim to predict PTB through cervical stiffness and elastography measurements, metabolomics, extracellular vesicles and artificial intelligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsay Creswell
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Coombe Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniel Lorber Rolnik
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Stephen W Lindow
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Coombe Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Neil O’Gorman
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Coombe Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Bosco M, Romero R, Gallo DM, Suksai M, Gotsch F, Jung E, Chaemsaithong P, Tarca AL, Gomez-Lopez N, Arenas-Hernandez M, Meyyazhagan A, Al Qasem M, Franchi MP, Grossman LI, Aras S, Chaiworapongsa T. Evidence for the participation of CHCHD2/MNRR1, a mitochondrial protein, in spontaneous labor at term and in preterm labor with intra-amniotic infection. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2023; 36:2183088. [PMID: 36941246 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2183088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Intra-amniotic inflammation (IAI), associated with either microbe (infection) or danger signals (sterile), plays a major role in the pathophysiology of preterm labor and delivery. Coiled-Coil-Helix-Coiled-Coil-Helix Domain Containing 2 (CHCHD2) [also known as Mitochondrial Nuclear Retrograde Regulator 1 (MNRR1)], a mitochondrial protein involved in oxidative phosphorylation and cell survival, is capable of sensing tissue hypoxia and inflammatory signaling. The ability to maintain an appropriate energy balance at the cellular level while adapting to environmental stress is essential for the survival of an organism. Mitochondrial dysfunction has been observed in acute systemic inflammatory conditions, such as sepsis, and is proposed to be involved in sepsis-induced multi-organ failure. The purpose of this study was to determine the amniotic fluid concentrations of CHCHD2/MNRR1 in pregnant women, women at term in labor, and those in preterm labor (PTL) with and without IAI. METHODS This cross-sectional study comprised patients allocated to the following groups: (1) mid-trimester (n = 16); (2) term in labor (n = 37); (3) term not in labor (n = 22); (4) PTL without IAI who delivered at term (n = 25); (5) PTL without IAI who delivered preterm (n = 47); and (6) PTL with IAI who delivered preterm (n = 53). Diagnosis of IAI (amniotic fluid interleukin-6 concentration ≥2.6 ng/mL) included cases associated with microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity and those of sterile nature (absence of detectable bacteria, using culture and molecular microbiology techniques). Amniotic fluid and maternal plasma CHCHD2/MNRR1 concentrations were determined with a validated and sensitive immunoassay. RESULTS (1) CHCHD2/MNRR1 was detectable in all amniotic fluid samples and women at term without labor had a higher amniotic fluid CHCHD2/MNRR1 concentration than those in the mid-trimester (p = 0.003); (2) the amniotic fluid concentration of CHCHD2/MNRR1 in women at term in labor was higher than that in women at term without labor (p = 0.01); (3) women with PTL and IAI had a higher amniotic fluid CHCHD2/MNRR1 concentration than those without IAI, either with preterm (p < 0.001) or term delivery (p = 0.01); (4) women with microbial-associated IAI had a higher amniotic fluid CHCHD2/MNRR1 concentration than those with sterile IAI (p < 0.001); (5) among women with PTL and IAI, the amniotic fluid concentration of CHCHD2/MNRR1 correlated with that of interleukin-6 (Spearman's Rho = 0.7; p < 0.001); and (6) no correlation was observed between amniotic fluid and maternal plasma CHCHD2/MNRR1 concentrations among women with PTL. CONCLUSION CHCHD2/MNRR1 is a physiological constituent of human amniotic fluid in normal pregnancy, and the amniotic concentration of this mitochondrial protein increases during pregnancy, labor at term, and preterm labor with intra-amniotic infection. Hence, CHCHD2/MNRR1 may be released into the amniotic cavity by dysfunctional mitochondria during microbial-associated IAI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariachiara Bosco
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AOUI Verona, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Dahiana M Gallo
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | - Manaphat Suksai
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Francesca Gotsch
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Eunjung Jung
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Piya Chaemsaithong
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Adi L Tarca
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Wayne State University College of Engineering, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Arun Meyyazhagan
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Centre of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Malek Al Qasem
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Al-Karak, Jordan
| | - Massimo P Franchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, AOUI Verona, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Lawrence I Grossman
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Siddhesh Aras
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Tinnakorn Chaiworapongsa
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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Bahado-Singh R, Tarca AL, Hasbini YG, Sokol RJ, Keerthy M, Goyert G, Jones T, Thiel L, Green P, Youssef Y, Townsel C, Vengalil S, Paladino P, Wright A, Ayyash M, Vadlamudi G, Szymanska M, Sajja S, Turkoglu O, Sterenberg G, Mangus AR, Baracy M, Gibbons M, Grace K, Houston K, Norman J, Gudicha DW, Hassan SS. Maternal SARS-COV-2 infection and prematurity: the Southern Michigan COVID-19 collaborative. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2023; 36:2199343. [PMID: 37217448 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2023.2199343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE COVID-19 has been reported to increase the risk of prematurity, however, due to the frequent absence of unaffected controls as well as inadequate accounting for confounders in many studies, the question requires further investigation. We sought to determine the impact of COVID-19 disease on preterm birth (PTB) overall, as well as related subcategories such as early prematurity, spontaneous, medically indicated preterm birth, and preterm labor (PTL). We assessed the impact of confounders such as COVID-19 risk factors, a-priori risk factors for PTB, symptomatology, and disease severity on rates of prematurity. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women from March 2020 till October 1st, 2020. The study included patients from 14 obstetric centers in Michigan, USA. Cases were defined as women diagnosed with COVID-19 at any point during their pregnancy. Cases were matched with uninfected women who delivered in the same unit, within 30 d of the delivery of the index case. Outcomes of interest were frequencies of prematurity overall and subcategories of preterm birth (early, spontaneous/medically indicated, preterm labor, and premature preterm rupture of membranes) in cases compared to controls. The impact of modifiers of these outcomes was documented with extensive control for potential confounders. A p value <.05 was used to infer significance. RESULTS The rate of prematurity was 8.9% in controls, 9.4% in asymptomatic cases, 26.5% in symptomatic COVID-19 cases, and 58.8% among cases admitted to the ICU. Gestational age at delivery was noted to decrease with disease severity. Cases were at an increased risk of prematurity overall [adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 1.62 (1.2-2.18)] and of early prematurity (<34 weeks) [aRR = 1.8 (1.02-3.16)] when compared to controls. Medically indicated prematurity related to preeclampsia [aRR = 2.46 (1.47-4.12)] or other indications [aRR = 2.32 (1.12-4.79)], were the primary drivers of overall prematurity risk. Symptomatic cases were at an increased risk of preterm labor [aRR = 1.74 (1.04-2.8)] and spontaneous preterm birth due to premature preterm rupture of membranes [aRR = 2.2(1.05-4.55)] when compared to controls and asymptomatic cases combined. The gestational age at delivery followed a dose-response relation with disease severity, as more severe cases tended to deliver earlier (Wilcoxon p < .05). CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 is an independent risk factor for preterm birth. The increased preterm birth rate in COVID-19 was primarily driven by medically indicated delivery, with preeclampsia as the principal risk factor. Symptomatic status and disease severity were significant drivers of preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Bahado-Singh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Adi L Tarca
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Yasmin G Hasbini
- Office of Women's Health, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Robert J Sokol
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Madhurima Keerthy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Gregory Goyert
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Pooja Green
- St Joseph Mercy Health System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Courtney Townsel
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | - Paige Paladino
- Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Madison Heights, MI, USA
| | - Amy Wright
- St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, Trinity Health, Pontiac, MI, USA
| | - Mariam Ayyash
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Gayathri Vadlamudi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Marta Szymanska
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Sonia Sajja
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Onur Turkoglu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, William Beaumont Hospital - Royal Oak, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | | | - Alexandra R Mangus
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Karlee Grace
- Ascension Macomb-Oakland Hospital, Madison Heights, MI, USA
| | | | - Jessica Norman
- St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, Trinity Health, Pontiac, MI, USA
| | - Dereje W Gudicha
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Sonia S Hassan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Office of Women's Health, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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18
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Khan W, Zaki N, Ahmad A, Masud MM, Govender R, Rojas-Perilla N, Ali L, Ghenimi N, Ahmed LA. Node embedding-based graph autoencoder outlier detection for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19817. [PMID: 37963898 PMCID: PMC10645849 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46726-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB), can have serious consequences for both the mother and infant. Early prediction of such outcomes is important for their prevention. Previous studies using traditional machine learning (ML) models for predicting PTB and LBW have encountered two important limitations: extreme class imbalance in medical datasets and the inability to account for complex relational structures between entities. To address these limitations, we propose a node embedding-based graph outlier detection algorithm to predict adverse pregnancy outcomes. We developed a knowledge graph using a well-curated representative dataset of the Emirati population and two node embedding algorithms. The graph autoencoder (GAE) was trained by applying a combination of original risk factors and node embedding features. Samples that were difficult to reconstruct at the output of GAE were identified as outliers considered representing PTB and LBW samples. Our experiments using LBW, PTB, and very PTB datasets demonstrated that incorporating node embedding considerably improved performance, achieving a 12% higher AUC-ROC compared to traditional GAE. Our study demonstrates the effectiveness of node embedding and graph outlier detection in improving the prediction performance of adverse pregnancy outcomes in well-curated population datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasif Khan
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nazar Zaki
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi (ASPIREPMRIAD), Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Amir Ahmad
- Department of Information Systems and Security, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammad M Masud
- Department of Information Systems and Security, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Romana Govender
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Natalia Rojas-Perilla
- Department of Analytics in the Digital Era, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Luqman Ali
- Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, College of Information Technology, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nadirah Ghenimi
- Department of Family Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Luai A Ahmed
- Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Centre for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, P.O. Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Creswell L, Burke B, O'Sullivan L, Lindow SW, O'Gorman N. A cross-sectional survey of women's views and preferences for preterm birth screening and treatment. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2023; 290:14-21. [PMID: 37713943 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Primary outcomes were to determine; 1) the desire for more patient information from healthcare professionals on preterm birth (PTB) prevention 2) the desire for PTB screening surveillance or participation in research or 3) the acceptability of transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) or vaginal examinations to predict spontaneous PTB. METHODS A 19-question, piloted, self-administered survey was completed by unselected pregnant women in a tertiary maternity hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Data was collected to include maternal socio-demographics, past obstetric history, and current pregnancy details, in addition to views and preferences on PTB screening and preventative treatments. Statistical analysis to include binary and multinomial regression was performed by IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (Version 29.0). RESULTS 277 women completed the study survey. 9.4% of women had attended the preterm birth surveillance clinic (PSC). 75.1% of respondents indicated a preference for more information from healthcare professionals about PTB. 65% reported that TVUS and vaginal examinations were acceptable in pregnancy. The acceptability of antenatal examinations was significantly influenced by ethnicity; white European (OR 2.58, CI 1.12-5.95, p = 0.003) and Asian (OR 3.39, CI 1.18-9.67, p = 0.02). Discomfort (25.3%) and vaginal bleeding (11.9%) were the most frequently reported concerns about TVUS. 95.7% of unselected women indicated that they would accept treatment to prevent PTB. Vaginal progesterone (53.8%) was preferred treatment compared to cervical cerclage (15.9%) or cervical pessary (16.6%). 55.6% of respondents stated they attend or wish to attend for additional appointments or research opportunities for PTB screening. Women with a previous PTB or second trimester miscarriage were more likely to attend or wish to attend for PTB screening (OR 3.23, CI 1.34-7.79, p = 0.009). CONCLUSION PTB is an important healthcare priority for pregnant women in Ireland. However, women require more information, counselling and reassurance about the utility and safety of TVUS in PSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - B Burke
- The Coombe Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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Choi YS, Kim Y, Hong SY, Cho HJ, Sung JH, Choi SJ, Kim JS, Oh SY, Roh CR. Abnormal Vaginal Flora in Cervical Incompetence Patients - the Impact of Escherichia coli. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:3010-3018. [PMID: 37118059 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-023-01242-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of abnormal vaginal colonization in women with cervical incompetence and to analyze its impact on obstetric and neonatal outcomes and placental inflammation. We included 138 pregnant women diagnosed with cervical incompetence and delivered in our hospital. Patients with major fetal anomaly or multifetal pregnancy were excluded. Upper vaginal culture was performed on the day of admission. A total of 60.9% (84/138) of cervical incompetence patients had abnormal bacterial colonization, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) was the most common colonized pathogen (33.3%, 46/138). The positive vaginal E. coli group had a higher rate of prior preterm birth (p = 0.021) and an earlier gestational age at which cervical incompetence was diagnosed (p < 0.01) than the negative group. The positive vaginal E. coli group had higher rates of clinical chorioamnionitis (p = 0.008) and subchorionic microabscess of the placenta (p = 0.012). Importantly, the positive vaginal E. coli group had significantly higher rates of proven early-onset neonatal sepsis (EONS) (p = 0.046), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) (p = 0.001), and neonatal mortality (p = 0.023). After adjusting for confounding variables, the positive vaginal E. coli group had significantly higher risk for proven EONS (OR: 3.853, 95% CI: 1.056-14.055) and NEC (OR: 12.410, 95% CI: 1.290-119.351). In conclusion, E. coli was the most common vaginal microorganism isolated from patients with cervical incompetence. Maternal vaginal E. coli colonization was associated with adverse neonatal outcomes including proven EONS and NEC and was characterized by a higher rate of placental subchorionic microabscess.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Sun Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351
| | - Yejin Kim
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351
| | - Sir-Yeon Hong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351
| | - Hye Jung Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hee Sung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351
| | - Suk-Joo Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351
| | - Jung-Sun Kim
- Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Young Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351.
| | - Cheong-Rae Roh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81, Irwon-Ro, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 06351
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21
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Bhati T, Ray A, Arora R, Siraj F, Parvez S, Rastogi S. Immune regulation by activation markers at feto-maternal interface in infection-associated spontaneous preterm birth. Cytokine 2023; 170:156336. [PMID: 37595415 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a global health concern. Studies reveal infections are majorly responsible for sPTB and immune activation markers play a role in regulation of maternal immune responses against pathogens during sPTB. AIM To study the mRNA expression and correlation of activation markers (CD66a, ICAM1, ITGB1, TIM3, CD25, CD95) and associated cytokines (IL-1β and IL-17)/prostaglandin receptors (EP2 and IP) in the placenta of Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma urealyticum-infected sPTB women. METHODS Placental samples were collected from 160 sPTB and 160 term birth women. PCR was used for the detection of C. trachomatis, M. hominis, U. urealyticum. The mRNA expression of activation markers, cytokines and prostaglandin receptors was evaluated by real-time qPCR. RESULTS The fold-change expression of CD66a, ICAM1, TIM3, CD25 and CD95 was 2.89, 5.5, 4.95, 6.44 and 6.95-fold (p < 0.001), respectively; while for cytokines- IL-1β and IL-17 was 5.41 and 4.71-fold (p < 0.001), respectively and for prostaglandin receptors- EP2 and IP was 5.5 and 5-fold (p < 0.001) upregulated, respectively in infected sPTB women. Significant positive correlation was obtained among ICAM-1 and IL-1β/EP2/IL-17, TIM3 and IP/IL-17. Significant negative correlation was obtained between CD66a and EP2/IL-17, CD25 and IL-1β/EP2, CD95 and IL-1β/EP2 in infected sPTB women. CONCLUSIONS CD66a, ICAM1 and TIM3 may play role in inflammation and have potential for the clinical beginning of preterm labour during infection while CD25 and CD95 are possibly involved in immunotolerance at feto-maternal interface during C. trachomatis, M. hominis and U. urealyticum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanu Bhati
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box no. 4909, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Ankita Ray
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box no. 4909, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Renu Arora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Fouzia Siraj
- Pathology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box no. 4909, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India
| | - Sangita Rastogi
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box no. 4909, New Delhi 110029, India.
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Megli CJ, Hauspurg A, Venkataramanan R, Caritis SN. A Possible Mechanism of Action of 17α-Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate: Enhanced IL-10 Production. Am J Perinatol 2023; 40:1585-1589. [PMID: 34784615 PMCID: PMC9879021 DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1739354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The rate of recurrent spontaneous preterm birth (PTB) was reduced by 33% in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit (MFMU) Network trial of 17α-hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC), but the mechanism of action, 17 years later, remains elusive. The robustness of the interleukin-10 (IL-10) response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of leukocytes in pregnant women with a prior PTB correlates with gestational age at delivery. This study sought to determine if there is a relationship between the concentration of 17-OHPC and response to LPS stimulation. STUDY DESIGN We performed a secondary analysis of data from the Omega-3 MFMU trial which evaluated the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in reducing recurrent PTB. We utilized previously characterized data from a subanalyses of the Omega-3 trial of IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) levels from peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with LPS. Blood was obtained from enrolled women at 16 to 22 weeks' gestation (baseline) and 25 to 28 weeks' gestation (posttreatment). All women received 17-OHPC and plasma 17-OHPC concentrations were measured at 25 to 28 weeks' gestation. We analyzed these data to determine if there was a relationship between 17-OHPC concentration and cytokine production. We then performed an in vitro study to determine if 17-OHPC could directly alter cytokine production by THP-1-derived macrophages. RESULTS In the clinical samples, we found that 17-OHPC plasma concentrations were correlated with the quantity of the LPS-stimulated production of IL-10. TNF-α production after LPS stimulation was unrelated to 17-OHPC concentration. In the in vitro study, we demonstrate a 17-OHPC concentration dependent increase in IL-10 production. CONCLUSION In women receiving 17-OHPC for PTB prevention, we demonstrate a relationship between plasma 17-OHPC and LPS-stimulated IL-10 production by circulating leukocytes. We also demonstrate that, in vitro, 17-OHPC treatment affects IL-10 production by LPS-stimulated macrophages. Collectively, these findings support an immunomodulatory mechanism of action of 17-OHPC in the prevention of recurrent PTB. KEY POINTS · 17-OHPC plasma concentrations and LPS-stimulated IL-10 levels correlate in clinical samples in women at risk for recurrent preterm birth.. · 17-OHPC can modulate the response of LPS-stimulated macrophages to increase IL-10 production.. · There was no relationship between TNF-α and plasma concentration of 17-OHPC in clinical samples or in vitro..
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina J. Megli
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Alisse Hauspurg
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Raman Venkataramanan
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Steve N. Caritis
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UPMC Magee-Women’s Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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23
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Tan Y, Taibl KR, Dunlop AL, Barr DB, Panuwet P, Yakimavets V, Kannan K, Corwin EJ, Ryan PB, Eatman JA, Liang D, Eick SM. Association between a Mixture of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Inflammatory Biomarkers in the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:13419-13428. [PMID: 37649345 PMCID: PMC10900195 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been identified as environmental contributors to adverse birth outcomes. One potential mechanistic pathway could be through PFAS-related inflammation and cytokine production. Here, we examined associations between a PFAS mixture and inflammatory biomarkers during early and late pregnancy from participants enrolled in the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort (N = 425). Serum concentrations of multiple PFAS were detected in >90% samples at 8-14 weeks gestation. Serum concentrations of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at up to two time points (8-14 weeks and 24-30 weeks gestation). The effect of the PFAS mixture on each inflammatory biomarker was examined using quantile g-computation, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), Bayesian Weighted Sums (BWS), and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. Across all models, the PFAS mixture was associated with increased IFN-γ, IL-10, and TNF-α at both time points, with the strongest effects being observed at 24-30 weeks. Using quantile g-computation, increasing concentrations of a PFAS mixture were associated with a 29% (95% confidence interval = 18.0%, 40.7%) increase in TNF-α at 24-30 weeks. Similarly, using BWS, the PFAS mixture was associated with increased TNF-α at 24-30 weeks (summed effect = 0.29, 95% highest posterior density = 0.17, 0.41). The PFAS mixture was also positively associated with TNF-α at 24-30 weeks using BKMR [75th vs 50th percentile: 17.1% (95% credible interval = 7.7%, 27.4%)]. Meanwhile, PFOS was consistently the main drivers of overall mixture effect across four methods. Our findings indicated an increase in prenatal PFAS exposure is associated with an increase in multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines, potentially contributing to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youran Tan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Kaitlin R. Taibl
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Anne L. Dunlop
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Dana Boyd Barr
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Parinya Panuwet
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Volha Yakimavets
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | | | - P. Barry Ryan
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Jasmin A. Eatman
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Donghai Liang
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Stephanie M. Eick
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
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Kanninen T, Tao L, Romero R, Xu Y, Arenas-Hernandez M, Galaz J, Liu Z, Miller D, Levenson D, Greenberg JM, Panzer J, Padron J, Theis KR, Gomez-Lopez N. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin participates in the host response to intra-amniotic inflammation leading to preterm labor and birth. Hum Immunol 2023; 84:450-463. [PMID: 37422429 PMCID: PMC10530449 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2023.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to establish the role of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the intra-amniotic host response of women with spontaneous preterm labor (sPTL) and birth. Amniotic fluid and chorioamniotic membranes (CAM) were collected from women with sPTL who delivered at term (n = 30) or preterm without intra-amniotic inflammation (n = 34), with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (SIAI, n = 27), or with intra-amniotic infection (IAI, n = 17). Amnion epithelial cells (AEC), Ureaplasma parvum, and Sneathia spp. were also utilized. The expression of TSLP, TSLPR, and IL-7Rα was evaluated in amniotic fluid or CAM by RT-qPCR and/or immunoassays. AEC co-cultured with Ureaplasma parvum or Sneathia spp. were evaluated for TSLP expression by immunofluorescence and/or RT-qPCR. Our data show that TSLP was elevated in amniotic fluid of women with SIAI or IAI and expressed by the CAM. TSLPR and IL-7Rα had detectable gene and protein expression in the CAM; yet, CRLF2 was specifically elevated with IAI. While TSLP localized to all layers of the CAM and increased with SIAI or IAI, TSLPR and IL-7Rα were minimal and became most apparent with IAI. Co-culture experiments indicated that Ureaplasma parvum and Sneathia spp. differentially upregulated TSLP expression in AEC. Together, these findings indicate that TSLP is a central component of the intra-amniotic host response during sPTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomi Kanninen
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Li Tao
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Yi Xu
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jose Galaz
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8330024, Chile
| | - Zhenjie Liu
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Derek Miller
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Dustyn Levenson
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jonathan M Greenberg
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Jonathan Panzer
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Justin Padron
- Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Kevin R Theis
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (NICHD/NIH/DHHS), Bethesda, MD, 20892 and Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
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25
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Kammala AK, Mosebarger A, Radnaa E, Rowlinson E, Vora N, Fortunato SJ, Sharma S, Safarzadeh M, Menon R. Extracellular Vesicles-mediated recombinant IL-10 protects against ascending infection-associated preterm birth by reducing fetal inflammatory response. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1196453. [PMID: 37600782 PMCID: PMC10437065 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1196453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fetal inflammatory response mediated by the influx of immune cells and activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB in feto-maternal uterine tissues is the major determinant of infection-associated preterm birth (PTB, live births < 37 weeks of gestation). Objective To reduce the incidence of PTB by minimizing inflammation, extracellular vesicles (EVs) were electroporetically engineered to contain anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-10 (eIL-10), and their efficacy was tested in an ascending model of infection (vaginal administration of E. coli) induced PTB in mouse models. Study design EVs (size: 30-170 nm) derived from HEK293T cells were electroporated with recombinant IL-10 at 500 volts and 125 Ω, and 6 pulses to generate eIL-10. eIL-10 structural characters (electron microscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, ExoView [size and cargo content] and functional properties (co-treatment of macrophage cells with LPS and eIL-10) were assessed. To test efficacy, CD1 mice were vaginally inoculated with E. coli (1010CFU) and subsequently treated with either PBS, eIL-10 (500ng) or Gentamicin (10mg/kg) or a combination of eIL-10+gentamicin. Fetal inflammatory response in maternal and fetal tissues after the infection or treatment were conducted by suspension Cytometer Time of Flight (CyTOF) using a transgenic mouse model that express red fluorescent TdTomato (mT+) in fetal cells. Results Engineered EVs were structurally and functionally stable and showed reduced proinflammatory cytokine production from LPS challenged macrophage cells in vitro. Maternal administration of eIL-10 (10 µg/kg body weight) crossed feto-maternal barriers to delay E. coli-induced PTB to deliver live pups at term. Delay in PTB was associated with reduced feto-maternal uterine inflammation (immune cell infiltration and histologic chorioamnionitis, NF-κB activation, and proinflammatory cytokine production). Conclusions eIL-10 administration was safe, stable, specific, delayed PTB by over 72 hrs and delivered live pups. The delivery of drugs using EVs overcomes the limitations of in-utero fetal interventions. Protecting IL-10 in EVs eliminates the need for the amniotic administration of recombinant IL-10 for its efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananth Kumar Kammala
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Angela Mosebarger
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Enkhtuya Radnaa
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Emma Rowlinson
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Natasha Vora
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Stephen J. Fortunato
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Surendra Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Melody Safarzadeh
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
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26
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Nilsson G, Mottahedin A, Zelco A, Lauschke VM, Ek CJ, Song J, Ardalan M, Hua S, Zhang X, Mallard C, Hagberg H, Leavenworth JW, Wang X. Two different isoforms of osteopontin modulate myelination and axonal integrity. FASEB Bioadv 2023; 5:336-353. [PMID: 37554545 PMCID: PMC10405251 DOI: 10.1096/fba.2023-00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Abnormal myelination underlies the pathology of white matter diseases such as preterm white matter injury and multiple sclerosis. Osteopontin (OPN) has been suggested to play a role in myelination. Murine OPN mRNA is translated into a secreted isoform (sOPN) or an intracellular isoform (iOPN). Whether there is an isoform-specific involvement of OPN in myelination is unknown. Here we generated mouse models that either lacked both OPN isoforms in all cells (OPN-KO) or lacked sOPN systemically but expressed iOPN specifically in oligodendrocytes (OLs-iOPN-KI). Transcriptome analysis of isolated oligodendrocytes from the neonatal brain showed that genes and pathways related to increase of myelination and altered cell cycle control were enriched in the absence of the two OPN isoforms in OPN-KO mice compared to control mice. Accordingly, adult OPN-KO mice showed an increased axonal myelination, as revealed by transmission electron microscopy imaging, and increased expression of myelin-related proteins. In contrast, neonatal oligodendrocytes from OLs-iOPN-KI mice compared to control mice showed differential regulation of genes and pathways related to the increase of cell adhesion, motility, and vasculature development, and the decrease of axonal/neuronal development. OLs-iOPN-KI mice showed abnormal myelin formation in the early phase of myelination in young mice and signs of axonal degeneration in adulthood. These results suggest an OPN isoform-specific involvement, and a possible interplay between the isoforms, in myelination, and axonal integrity. Thus, the two isoforms of OPN need to be separately considered in therapeutic strategies targeting OPN in white matter injury and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Nilsson
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Amin Mottahedin
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Aura Zelco
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Volker M. Lauschke
- Department of Physiology and PharmacologyKarolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
- Dr Margarete Fischer‐Bosch Institute of Clinical PharmacologyStuttgartGermany
- University of TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - C. Joakim Ek
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Juan Song
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain InjuryInstitute of Neuroscience and Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Maryam Ardalan
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Sha Hua
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Department of Cardiology, Ruijin Hospital/Luwan Branch, School of MedicineShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Xiaoli Zhang
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain InjuryInstitute of Neuroscience and Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Carina Mallard
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Henrik Hagberg
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Jianmei W. Leavenworth
- Department of NeurosurgeryUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
- Department of MicrobiologyUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Henan Key Laboratory of Child Brain InjuryInstitute of Neuroscience and Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityZhengzhouChina
- Centre of Perinatal Medicine & Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska AcademyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
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Riaposova L, Kim SH, Hanyaloglu AC, Sykes L, MacIntyre DA, Bennett PR, Terzidou V. Prostaglandin F2α requires activation of calcium-dependent signalling to trigger inflammation in human myometrium. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1150125. [PMID: 37547305 PMCID: PMC10400332 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1150125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Preterm birth is one of the major causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality across the world. Both term and preterm labour are preceded by inflammatory activation in uterine tissues. This includes increased leukocyte infiltration, and subsequent increase in chemokine and cytokine levels, activation of pro-inflammatory transcription factors as NF-κB and increased prostaglandin synthesis. Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) is one of the myometrial activators and stimulators. Methods Here we investigated the role of PGF2α in pro-inflammatory signalling pathways in human myometrial cells isolated from term non-labouring uterine tissue. Primary myometrial cells were treated with G protein inhibitors, calcium chelators and/or PGF2α. Nuclear extracts were analysed by TranSignal cAMP/Calcium Protein/DNA Array. Whole cell protein lysates were analysed by Western blotting. mRNA levels of target genes were analysed by RT-PCR. Results The results show that PGF2α increases inflammation in myometrial cells through increased activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases and increased expression of COX-2. PGF2α was found to activate several calcium/cAMP-dependent transcription factors, such as CREB and C/EBP-β. mRNA levels of NF-κB-regulated cytokines and chemokines were also elevated with PGF2α stimulation. We have shown that the increase in PGF2α-mediated COX-2 expression in myometrial cells requires coupling of the FP receptor to both Gαq and Gαi proteins. Additionally, PGF2α-induced calcium response was also mediated through Gαq and Gαi coupling. Discussion In summary, our findings suggest that PGF2α-induced inflammation in myometrial cells involves activation of several transcription factors - NF-κB, MAP kinases, CREB and C/EBP-β. Our results indicate that the FP receptor signals via Gαq and Gαi coupling in myometrium. This work provides insight into PGF2α pro-inflammatory signalling in term myometrium prior to the onset of labour and suggests that PGF2α signalling pathways could be a potential target for management of preterm labour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Riaposova
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The March of Dimes European Prematurity Research Centre at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sung Hye Kim
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The March of Dimes European Prematurity Research Centre at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aylin C. Hanyaloglu
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lynne Sykes
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The March of Dimes European Prematurity Research Centre at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The Parasol Foundation Centre for Women’s Health and Cancer Research, St Mary’s Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
| | - David A. MacIntyre
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The March of Dimes European Prematurity Research Centre at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Phillip R. Bennett
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The March of Dimes European Prematurity Research Centre at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Vasso Terzidou
- Parturition Research Group, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The March of Dimes European Prematurity Research Centre at Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital National Health Service (NHS) Trust, London, United Kingdom
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You Y, Grasso E, Alvero A, Condon J, Dimova T, Hu A, Ding J, Alexandrova M, Manchorova D, Dimitrova V, Liao A, Mor G. Twist1-IRF9 Interaction Is Necessary for IFN-Stimulated Gene Anti-Zika Viral Infection. J Immunol 2023; 210:1899-1912. [PMID: 37144865 PMCID: PMC10615665 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
An efficient immune defense against pathogens requires sufficient basal sensing mechanisms that can deliver prompt responses. Type I IFNs are protective against acute viral infections and respond to viral and bacterial infections, but their efficacy depends on constitutive basal activity that promotes the expression of downstream genes known as IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs). Type I IFNs and ISGs are constitutively produced at low quantities and yet exert profound effects essential for numerous physiological processes beyond antiviral and antimicrobial defense, including immunomodulation, cell cycle regulation, cell survival, and cell differentiation. Although the canonical response pathway for type I IFNs has been extensively characterized, less is known regarding the transcriptional regulation of constitutive ISG expression. Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is a major risk for human pregnancy complications and fetal development and depends on an appropriate IFN-β response. However, it is poorly understood how ZIKV, despite an IFN-β response, causes miscarriages. We have uncovered a mechanism for this function specifically in the context of the early antiviral response. Our results demonstrate that IFN regulatory factor (IRF9) is critical in the early response to ZIKV infection in human trophoblast. This function is contingent on IRF9 binding to Twist1. In this signaling cascade, Twist1 was not only a required partner that promotes IRF9 binding to the IFN-stimulated response element but also an upstream regulator that controls basal levels of IRF9. The absence of Twist1 renders human trophoblast cells susceptible to ZIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan You
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
| | - Esteban Grasso
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
- School of Science, University of Buenos Aires, Intendente Guiraldes 2160, Buenos Aires, 1428
| | - Ayesha Alvero
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
| | - Jennifer Condon
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
| | - Tanya Dimova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction “Acad. K. Bratanov”, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Anna Hu
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
| | - Jiahui Ding
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
| | - Marina Alexandrova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction “Acad. K. Bratanov”, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Diana Manchorova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction “Acad. K. Bratanov”, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Violeta Dimitrova
- Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction “Acad. K. Bratanov”, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Aihua Liao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Gil Mor
- C. S Mott Center for Human Development, Wayne State University, 275 E Hancock St, Detroit, MI, 48093
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Cheddadi R, Khandekar NN, Yeramilli V, Martin C. The impact of maternal stress on the development of necrotizing enterocolitis: A comprehensive review. Semin Pediatr Surg 2023:151324. [PMID: 37316382 DOI: 10.1016/j.sempedsurg.2023.151324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal inflammatory disease with significant morbidity and mortality. Numerous predictors have been implicated in the development of NEC, with a relatively less emphasis on maternal factors. Pregnancy drives women into a new stage of life that increases their susceptibility to biological and psychological stress. Additionally, maternal stress during pregnancy has been linked to various complications that can negatively impact both the mother and the developing fetus. These detrimental effects are facilitated by various systemic modifications. Similarly, there is evidence from animal studies that suggest a relationship between maternal stress and the occurrence of NEC due to the alterations observed in neonates. In this review, we will (1) discuss the physiological and psychological burden of maternal stress and how it can be linked to NEC, (2) summarize various predictors and risk factors of NEC, and (3) discuss the most widely utilized animal models for assessing the effects of prenatal stress on offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riadh Cheddadi
- Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. S., Lowder Building Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | | | - Venkata Yeramilli
- Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. S., Lowder Building Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States
| | - Colin Martin
- Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1600 7th Ave. S., Lowder Building Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35233, United States.
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Daskalakis G, Psarris A, Koutras A, Fasoulakis Z, Prokopakis I, Varthaliti A, Karasmani C, Ntounis T, Domali E, Theodora M, Antsaklis P, Pappa KI, Papapanagiotou A. Maternal Infection and Preterm Birth: From Molecular Basis to Clinical Implications. Children (Basel) 2023; 10:children10050907. [PMID: 37238455 DOI: 10.3390/children10050907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
As the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, preterm birth is recognized as a major public health concern around the world. The purpose of this review is to analyze the connection between infections and premature birth. Spontaneous preterm birth is commonly associated with intrauterine infection/inflammation. The overproduction of prostaglandins caused by the inflammation associated with an infection could lead to uterine contractions, contributing to preterm delivery. Many pathogens, particularly Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, Gardnerella vaginalis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Mycoplasma hominis, Actinomyces, Candida spp., and Streptococcus spp. have been related with premature delivery, chorioamnionitis, and sepsis of the neonate. Further research regarding the prevention of preterm delivery is required in order to develop effective preventive methods with the aim of reducing neonatal morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Daskalakis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Alexandros Psarris
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Antonios Koutras
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Zacharias Fasoulakis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Ioannis Prokopakis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Antonia Varthaliti
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Christina Karasmani
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas Ntounis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Ekaterini Domali
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Marianna Theodora
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Panos Antsaklis
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Kalliopi I Pappa
- First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 'Alexandra' Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
| | - Angeliki Papapanagiotou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
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Heiter J, Kemp MW, Spiller OB, Singer D, Newnham JP, Kallapur SG, Jobe AH, Kramer BW. Effects of multiple pro-inflammatory stimuli in utero on the ileum of extremely premature ovine fetuses. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1150208. [PMID: 37275869 PMCID: PMC10235639 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1150208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chorioamnionitis is common in preterm birth and associated with a higher risk of intestinal inflammation and necrotizing enterocolitis. The intestinal inflammation influences the enteric nervous system development. We hypothesized that inflammation and innervation in the fetal ileum may be modified by chorioamnionitis induced by repeated challenge with lipopolysaccharide and/or preexisting Ureaplasma parvum infection at very low gestational age equivalent to 60% of term. Materials and methods Time mated ovine fetuses were exposed by intraamniotic injections to chronic Ureaplasma parvum for 24 days and/or lipopolysaccharide for 7 days, 2 days, or 7 & 2 days before delivery at 94 +/-2 days of gestational age (term at approximately 150 days). Intestinal inflammation as well as structural changes of the enteric nervous system were assessed. Results Lipopolysaccharide exposure increased CD3 and myeloperoxidase-positive cells (p < 0.05). Repetitive exposure to lipopolysaccharide or combined Ureaplasma parvum & lipopolysaccharide exposure increased intestinal inflammation (p < 0.05). The reduction of nuclei of neurons was most significant with repetitive lipopolysaccharide exposures but could be detected in all other intervention groups compared to the control group. Astrocyte-like glial cells increased if exposure to lipopolysaccharide was only 2 days before delivery or chronic exposure to Ureaplasma parvum existed beforehand (p < 0.05). Discussion After exposure to chorioamnionitis induced by Ureaplasma parvum and/or lipopolysaccharide, inflammatory responses as well as structural changes of the enteric nervous system were more pronounced the longer and the more frequent the exposure to pro-inflammatory stimuli before birth. These changes may cause functional effects of clinical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Heiter
- Division of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Division of Neonatology and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthew W. Kemp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Owen B. Spiller
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Dominique Singer
- Division of Neonatology and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, University Medical Center Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - John P. Newnham
- University of Western Australia, King Edward’s Memorial Hospital, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Suhas G. Kallapur
- Division of Neonatology and Developmental Biology at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health, Mattel Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Alan H. Jobe
- University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Boris W. Kramer
- Division of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, Netherlands
- University of Western Australia, King Edward’s Memorial Hospital, Crawley, WA, Australia
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Caniglia EC, Zash R, Fennell C, Diseko M, Mayondi G, Heintz J, Mmalane M, Makhema J, Lockman S, Mumford SL, Murray EJ, Hernández-Díaz S, Shapiro R. Emulating Target Trials to Avoid Immortal Time Bias - An Application to Antibiotic Initiation and Preterm Delivery. Epidemiology 2023; 34:430-438. [PMID: 36805380 PMCID: PMC10263190 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0000000000001601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Randomized trials in pregnancy are extremely challenging, and observational studies are often the only option to evaluate medication safety during pregnancy. However, such studies are often susceptible to immortal time bias if treatment initiation occurs after time zero of follow-up. We describe how emulating a sequence of target trials avoids immortal time bias and apply the approach to estimate the safety of antibiotic initiation between 24 and 37 weeks gestation on preterm delivery. METHODS The Tsepamo Study captured birth outcomes at hospitals throughout Botswana from 2014 to 2021. We emulated 13 sequential target trials of antibiotic initiation versus no initiation among individuals presenting to care <24 weeks, one for each week from 24 to 37 weeks. For each trial, eligible individuals had not previously initiated antibiotics. We also conducted an analysis susceptible to immortal time bias by defining time zero as 24 weeks and exposure as antibiotic initiation between 24 and 37 weeks. We calculated adjusted risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for preterm delivery. RESULTS Of 111,403 eligible individuals, 17,009 (15.3%) initiated antibiotics between 24 and 37 weeks. In the sequence of target trials, RRs (95% CIs) ranged from 1.04 (0.90, 1.19) to 1.24 (1.11, 1.39) (pooled RR: 1.11 [1.06, 1.15]). In the analysis susceptible to immortal time bias, the RR was 0.90 (0.86, 0.94). CONCLUSIONS Defining exposure as antibiotic initiation at any time during follow-up after time zero resulted in substantial immortal time bias, making antibiotics appear protective against preterm delivery. Conducting a sequence of target trials can avoid immortal time bias in pregnancy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen C. Caniglia
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
- Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
| | - Rebecca Zash
- Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centerss
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Shahin Lockman
- Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital
| | | | | | | | - Roger Shapiro
- Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
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Richardson L, Radnaa E, Lintao RCV, Urrabaz-Garza R, Maredia R, Han A, Sun J, Menon R. A Microphysiological Device to Model the Choriodecidual Interface Immune Status during Pregnancy. J Immunol 2023; 210:1437-1446. [PMID: 36920387 PMCID: PMC10121841 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
During human pregnancy the chorion (fetal) lines decidua (maternal) creating the feto-maternal interface. Despite their proximity, resident decidual immune cells remain quiescent during gestation and do not invade the chorion. Infection and infiltration of activated immune cells toward the chorion are often associated with preterm birth. However, the mechanisms that maintain choriodecidual immune homeostasis or compromise immune barrier functions remain unclear. To understand these processes, a two-chamber microphysiological system (MPS) was created to model the human choriodecidual immune interface under normal and infectious conditions in vitro. This MPS has outer (fetal chorion trophoblast cells) and inner chambers (maternal decidual + CD45+ cells [70:30 ratio]) connected by microchannels. Decidual cells were treated with LPS to mimic maternal infection, followed by immunostaining for HLA-DR and HLA-G, immune panel screening by imaging cytometry by time of flight, and immune regulatory factors IL-8 and IL-10, soluble HLA-G, and progesterone (ELISA). LPS induced a proinflammatory phenotype in the decidua characterized by a decrease in HLA-DR and an increase in IL-8 compared with controls. LPS treatment increased the influx of immune cells into the chorion, indicative of chorionitis. Cytometry by time of flight characterized immune cells in both chambers as active NK cells and neutrophils, with a decrease in the abundance of nonproinflammatory cytokine-producing NK cells and T cells. Conversely, chorion cells increased progesterone and soluble HLA-G production while maintaining HLA-G expression. These results highlight the utility of MPS to model choriodecidual immune cell infiltration and determine the complex maternal-fetal crosstalk to regulate immune balance during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Richardson
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Enkhtuya Radnaa
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan C. V. Lintao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Manila 1000, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1062, United States of America
| | - Rheanna Urrabaz-Garza
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ruhi Maredia
- John Sealy School of Medicine at Galveston, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Arum Han
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Jiaren Sun
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA
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Bhati T, Ray A, Arora R, Siraj F, Parvez S, Rastogi S. Galectins are critical regulators of cytokine signalling at feto-maternal interface in infection-associated spontaneous preterm birth. Placenta 2023; 138:10-19. [PMID: 37146535 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a global health issue. Studies suggest infections are chiefly associated with sPTB and galectins (gals) play a role in regulation of innate and adaptive maternal immune response against pathogens during sPTB. The aim of this study was to describe the gene expression of gal -1, -3, -8, -9, -13 in relation to gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the cytokines IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-ϒ in the setting of sPTB and confirmed infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum. METHODS Placental samples were collected from 120 term control and 120 sPTB pregnancies. PCR was used to detect specific pathogens. Gene expression of galectins, cytokines, and COX-2 was performed using real time qPCR. RESULTS Fold-change expression of gal -1, -3, -8, -9, -13 was 5.13, 6.11, 1.14, 5.23 and 7.16 (p<0.001), respectively; while IL-10, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-ϒ and COX-2 was 6.29, 6.55, 6.35, 6.36 and 2.73-fold upregulated (p<0.05), respectively in infected sPTB. Gal-1 was positively correlated with IL-10 (r=0.49, p=0.003) while gal-3 showed significant correlation with IL-8 (r=0.42, p=0.0113), TNF-α (r=0.65, p=< 0.001) and COX-2 (r=0.72, p=0.001). However, gal-8 was not significantly correlated with any cytokine. Gal-9, -13 were negatively correlated with IFN-ϒ (r=-0.45, p=0.006) and IL-8 (r=-0.39, p=0.018). DISCUSSION Gal-1, -9, -13 are anti-inflammatory and might play role in immune-tolerance while gal-3 is pro-inflammatory and possibly responsible for immunogenic response, having potential to anticipate the clinical beginning of preterm labour during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanu Bhati
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box No. 4909, New Delhi, 110029, India.
| | - Ankita Ray
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box No. 4909, New Delhi, 110029, India.
| | - Renu Arora
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC) and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, 110029, India.
| | - Fouzia Siraj
- Pathology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box No. 4909, New Delhi, 110029, India.
| | - Suhel Parvez
- Department of Medical Elementology and Toxicology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India.
| | - Sangita Rastogi
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Sriramachari Bhawan, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, Post Box No. 4909, New Delhi, 110029, India.
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Panzer JJ, Romero R, Greenberg JM, Winters AD, Galaz J, Gomez-Lopez N, Theis KR. Is there a placental microbiota? A critical review and re-analysis of published placental microbiota datasets. BMC Microbiol 2023; 23:76. [PMID: 36934229 PMCID: PMC10024458 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-023-02764-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The existence of a placental microbiota is debated. The human placenta has historically been considered sterile and microbial colonization was associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Yet, recent DNA sequencing investigations reported a microbiota in typical human term placentas. However, this detected microbiota could represent background DNA or delivery-associated contamination. Using fifteen publicly available 16S rRNA gene datasets, existing data were uniformly re-analyzed with DADA2 to maximize comparability. While Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) identified as Lactobacillus, a typical vaginal bacterium, were highly abundant and prevalent across studies, this prevalence disappeared after applying likely DNA contaminant removal to placentas from term cesarean deliveries. A six-study sub-analysis targeting the 16S rRNA gene V4 hypervariable region demonstrated that bacterial profiles of placental samples and technical controls share principal bacterial ASVs and that placental samples clustered primarily by study origin and mode of delivery. Contemporary DNA-based evidence does not support the existence of a placental microbiota.ImportanceEarly-gestational microbial influences on human development are unclear. By applying DNA sequencing technologies to placental tissue, bacterial DNA signals were observed, leading some to conclude that a live bacterial placental microbiome exists in typical term pregnancy. However, the low-biomass nature of the proposed microbiome and high sensitivity of current DNA sequencing technologies indicate that the signal may alternatively derive from environmental or delivery-associated bacterial DNA contamination. Here we address these alternatives with a re-analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing data from 15 publicly available placental datasets. After identical DADA2 pipeline processing of the raw data, subanalyses were performed to control for mode of delivery and environmental DNA contamination. Both environment and mode of delivery profoundly influenced the bacterial DNA signal from term-delivered placentas. Aside from these contamination-associated signals, consistency was lacking across studies. Thus, placentas delivered at term are unlikely to be the original source of observed bacterial DNA signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan J Panzer
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Roberto Romero
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
| | - Jonathan M Greenberg
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Andrew D Winters
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Jose Galaz
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Kevin R Theis
- Pregnancy Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
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Shiau S, Jacobson DL, Huo Y, Kacanek D, Yee LM, Williams DB, Haddad LB, Serghides L, Powis K, Sperling RS, Williams PL, Jao J. Unique Profile of Inflammation and Immune Activation in Pregnant People With HIV in the United States. J Infect Dis 2023; 227:720-730. [PMID: 36592383 PMCID: PMC10152501 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiac501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Little is known about inflammation/immune activation during pregnancy in people with HIV (PWH) and growth in their children who are HIV-exposed and uninfected (CHEU). METHODS Using data from the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study and an HIV-seronegative comparison group, we assessed associations of (1) HIV status, mode of HIV acquisition (perinatally vs nonperinatally acquired), and type of antiretroviral therapy (ART) with inflammation/immune activation in pregnancy; and (2) inflammation/immune activation in pregnancy with growth of CHEU at 12 months. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble(s) TNF-α receptor 1 and 2 (sTNFR1, sTNFR2), sCD14, and sCD163 were measured between 13 and 27 weeks' gestation. Linear regression models were fit to estimate differences between groups for each log-transformed biomarker, adjusted for confounders. RESULTS Pregnant PWH (188 total, 39 perinatally acquired, 149 nonperinatally acquired) and 76 HIV-seronegative persons were included. PWH had higher IL-6, sTNFR1, sCD14, and sCD163 and lower sTNFR2 compared to HIV-seronegative persons in adjusted models. Among PWH, sCD163 was higher in those with perinatally versus nonperinatally acquired HIV and on PI-based versus INSTI-based ART. Higher maternal concentrations of IL-6, sTNFR2, and hs-CRP were associated with poorer growth at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Maternal HIV status is associated with a distinct profile of inflammation/immune activation during pregnancy, which may influence child growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Shiau
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Denise L Jacobson
- Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yanling Huo
- Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Deborah Kacanek
- Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lynn M Yee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - David B Williams
- Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Lisa B Haddad
- Center for Biomedical Research, Population Council, New York, New York, USA
| | - Lena Serghides
- University Health Network and Department of Immunology and Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kathleen Powis
- Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rhoda S Sperling
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Paige L Williams
- Departments of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer Jao
- Department of Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Rios LE, Lokugamage N, Garg NJ. Effects of Acute and Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi Infection on Pregnancy Outcomes in Mice: Parasite Transmission, Mortality, Delayed Growth, and Organ Damage in Pups. Am J Pathol 2023; 193:313-331. [PMID: 36565805 PMCID: PMC10013038 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2022.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. This study aimed to determine the effects of T. cruzi infection on fertility rate and health of the newborn pups in pregnant mice. Female mice were challenged with T. cruzi and mated at 21 days (acute parasitemic phase) or 90 days (chronic parasite persistence phase) after infection. Pups were examined for growth up to 20 days after birth; and parasite burden in brain, heart, skeletal muscle, and intestine was measured by real-time quantitative PCR. The inflammatory infiltrate, necrosis, and fibrosis in pups' heart and brain tissues were evaluated by histology. T. cruzi infection in dams delayed the onset of pregnancy, decreased the fertility rate, and led to vertical transmission of parasite to the pups. Furthermore, infected dams delivered pups that exhibited decreased survival rate, decreased birth weight, and decreased growth rate. Significantly increased inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis of cardiac and brain tissues were noted in pups born to infected dams. Initial challenge with higher parasite dose had more detrimental effects on fertility rate and pups' health in both acutely and chronically infected dams. In conclusion, mice offer a promising model to evaluate the efficacy of new vaccines and therapeutic drugs in controlling the acute and chronic maternal T. cruzi infection and congenital transmission to newborns, and in improving the fertility rate and pups' health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizette E Rios
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Nandadeva Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas
| | - Nisha J Garg
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.
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Phung J, Wang C, Reeders J, Zakar T, Paul JW, Tyagi S, Pennell CE, Smith R. Preterm labor with and without chorioamnionitis is associated with activation of myometrial inflammatory networks: a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2023; 228:330.e1-330.e18. [PMID: 36002050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.08.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of preterm labor is associated with inflammation. Previous studies suggested that this is distinct from the inflammation observed during term labor. Our previous work on 44 genes differentially expressed in myometria in term labor demonstrated a different pattern of gene expression from that observed in preterm laboring and nonlaboring myometria. We found increased expression of inflammatory genes in preterm labor associated with chorioamnionitis, but in the absence of chorioamnionitis observed no difference in gene expression in preterm myometria regardless of laboring status, suggesting that preterm labor is associated with different myometrial genes or signals originating from outside the myometrium. Given that a small subset of genes were assessed, this study aimed to use RNA sequencing and bioinformatics to assess the myometrial transcriptome during preterm labor in the presence and absence of chorioamnionitis. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to comprehensively determine protein-coding transcriptomic differences between preterm nonlaboring and preterm laboring myometria with and without chorioamnionitis. STUDY DESIGN Myometria were collected at cesarean delivery from preterm patients not in labor (n=16) and preterm patients in labor with chorioamnionitis (n=8) or without chorioamnionitis (n=6). Extracted RNA from myometrial tissue was prepared and sequenced using Illumina NovaSeq. Gene expression was quantified by mapping the sequence reads to the human reference genome (hg38). Differential gene expression analysis, gene set enrichment analysis, and weighted gene coexpression network analysis were used to comprehensively interrogate transcriptomic differences and their associated biology. RESULTS Differential gene expression analysis comparing preterm patients in labor with chorioamnionitis with preterm patients not in labor identified 931 differentially expressed genes, whereas comparing preterm patients in labor without chorioamnionitis with preterm patients not in labor identified no statistically significant gene expression changes. In contrast, gene set enrichment analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis demonstrated that preterm labor with and without chorioamnionitis was associated with enrichment of pathways involved in activation of the innate immune system and inflammation, and activation of G protein-coupled receptors. Key genes identified included chemotactic CYP4F3, CXCL8, DOCK2, and IRF1 in preterm labor with chorioamnionitis and CYP4F3, FCAR, CHUK, and IL13RA2 in preterm labor without chorioamnionitis. There was marked overlap in the pathways enriched in both preterm labor subtypes. CONCLUSION Differential gene expression analysis demonstrated that myometria from preterm patients in labor without chorioamnionitis and preterm patients not in labor were transcriptionally similar, whereas the presence of chorioamnionitis was associated with marked gene changes. In contrast, comprehensive bioinformatic analysis indicated that preterm labor with or without chorioamnionitis was associated with innate immune activation. All causes of preterm labor were associated with activation of the innate immune system, but this was more marked in the presence of chorioamnionitis. These data suggest that anti-inflammatory therapy may be relevant in managing preterm labor of all etiologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Phung
- Department of Maternity and Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia; Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia.
| | - Carol Wang
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Jocelyn Reeders
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Tamas Zakar
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Jonathan W Paul
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Sonika Tyagi
- Central Clinical School, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Craig E Pennell
- Department of Maternity and Gynaecology, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia; Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
| | - Roger Smith
- Mothers and Babies Research Centre, School of Medicine and Public Health, College of Health, Medicine and Wellbeing, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia
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Green EA, Garrick SP, Peterson B, Berger PJ, Galinsky R, Hunt RW, Cho SX, Bourke JE, Nold MF, Nold-Petry CA. The Role of the Interleukin-1 Family in Complications of Prematurity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032795. [PMID: 36769133 PMCID: PMC9918069 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth is a major contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Complications of prematurity such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD, affecting the lung), pulmonary hypertension associated with BPD (BPD-PH, heart), white matter injury (WMI, brain), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP, eyes), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC, gut) and sepsis are among the major causes of long-term morbidity in infants born prematurely. Though the origins are multifactorial, inflammation and in particular the imbalance of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators is now recognized as a key driver of the pathophysiology underlying these illnesses. Here, we review the involvement of the interleukin (IL)-1 family in perinatal inflammation and its clinical implications, with a focus on the potential of these cytokines as therapeutic targets for the development of safe and effective treatments for early life inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elys A. Green
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Monash Newborn, Monash Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Steven P. Garrick
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Briana Peterson
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Philip J. Berger
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Robert Galinsky
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Rod W. Hunt
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Monash Newborn, Monash Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Steven X. Cho
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Jane E. Bourke
- Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Marcel F. Nold
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Monash Newborn, Monash Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
| | - Claudia A. Nold-Petry
- Ritchie Centre, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Ozen M, Aghaeepour N, Marić I, Wong RJ, Stevenson DK, Jantzie LL. Omics approaches: interactions at the maternal-fetal interface and origins of child health and disease. Pediatr Res 2023; 93:366-375. [PMID: 36216868 PMCID: PMC9549444 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02335-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Immunoperinatology is an emerging field. Transdisciplinary efforts by physicians, physician-scientists, basic science researchers, and computational biologists have made substantial advancements by identifying unique immunologic signatures of specific diseases, discovering innovative preventative or treatment strategies, and establishing foundations for individualized neonatal intensive care of the most vulnerable neonates. In this review, we summarize the immunobiology and immunopathology of pregnancy, highlight omics approaches to study the maternal-fetal interface, and their contributions to pregnancy health. We examined the importance of transdisciplinary, multiomic (such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and immunomics) and machine-learning strategies in unraveling the mechanisms of adverse pregnancy, neonatal, and childhood outcomes and how they can guide the development of novel therapies to improve maternal and neonatal health. IMPACT: Discuss immunoperinatology research from the lens of omics and machine-learning approaches. Identify opportunities for omics-based approaches to delineate infection/inflammation-associated maternal, neonatal, and later life adverse outcomes (e.g., histologic chorioamnionitis [HCA]).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maide Ozen
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Nima Aghaeepour
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Anesthesiology, Pain, and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA ,grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Ivana Marić
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Ronald J. Wong
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - David K. Stevenson
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA USA
| | - Lauren L. Jantzie
- grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA ,grid.21107.350000 0001 2171 9311Kennedy Krieger Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA
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Maroof M, Singh LD, Barman S, Kumar N, Barman SK, Yadav M. Study on low birth weight and its associated factors among newborns delivered in a tertiary care hospital of Banda district, Uttar Pradesh. Indian J Community Health 2022. [DOI: 10.47203/ijch.2022.v34i04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Background: Low birth weight is associated with higher morbidity and mortality including impaired growth and development, malnutrition etc. Worldwide, one- fifth of newborns delivered are low birth weight. Aims & objectives: To estimate frequency of low birth weight & its associated factors among newborns delivered in a tertiary care hospital. Materials & Methods: A cross sectional analysis of 290 newborns delivered in tertiary care hospital, Banda, Uttar Pradesh during period of 15th February 2021 to 31st December 2021 was done for estimating low birth weight frequency & its associated factors including child characteristics, mother characteristics & father characteristics using data from medical record section of hospital. Frequency, percentages, mean, standard deviation, chi square test & independent t- test was used. P value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: 91 out of 290 newborns delivered were low birth weight (27.9%, 95% CI- 23.1%- 33.4%). The following factors were shown to have a significant association with low birth weight: education of mother (p=0.04), education of father (p=0.03), occupation of father (p=0.02), and duration of pregnancy (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that education of mother, education of father, occupation of father, and duration of pregnancy had significant association with low birth weight frequency that suggests that improving literacy status can help in decreasing burden of low birth weight apart from other factors.
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Lu J, Moore RE, Spicer SK, Doster RS, Guevara MA, Francis JD, Noble KN, Rogers LM, Talbert JA, Korir ML, Townsend SD, Aronoff DM, Manning SD, Gaddy JA. Streptococcus agalactiae npx Is Required for Survival in Human Placental Macrophages and Full Virulence in a Model of Ascending Vaginal Infection during Pregnancy. mBio 2022; 13:e0287022. [PMID: 36409087 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02870-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as group B Streptococcus (GBS), is a Gram-positive encapsulated bacterium that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of 30 to 50% of humans. GBS causes invasive infection during pregnancy that can lead to chorioamnionitis, funisitis, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM), preterm birth, neonatal sepsis, and maternal and fetal demise. Upon infecting the host, GBS encounters sentinel innate immune cells, such as macrophages, within reproductive tissues. Once phagocytosed by macrophages, GBS upregulates the expression of the gene npx, which encodes an NADH peroxidase. GBS mutants with an npx deletion (Δnpx) are exquisitely sensitive to reactive oxygen stress. Furthermore, we have shown that npx is required for GBS survival in both THP-1 and placental macrophages. In an in vivo murine model of ascending GBS vaginal infection during pregnancy, npx is required for invading reproductive tissues and is critical for inducing disease progression, including PPROM and preterm birth. Reproductive tissue cytokine production was also significantly diminished in Δnpx mutant-infected animals compared to that in animals infected with wild-type (WT) GBS. Complementation in trans reversed this phenotype, indicating that npx is critical for GBS survival and the initiation of proinflammatory signaling in the gravid host. IMPORTANCE This study sheds new light on the way that group B Streptococcus (GBS) defends itself against oxidative stress in the infected host. The enzyme encoded by the GBS gene npx is an NADH peroxidase that, our study reveals, provides defense against macrophage-derived reactive oxygen stress and facilitates infections of the uterus during pregnancy. This enzyme could represent a tractable target for future treatment strategies against invasive GBS infections.
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Darling AM, Shephard H, Nestoridi E, Manning SE, Yazdy MM. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and preterm birth in Massachusetts from March 2020 through March 2021. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2022; 37:93-103. [PMID: 36512318 PMCID: PMC9877646 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy has been linked to preterm birth, but this association is not well understood. OBJECTIVES To examine the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and spontaneous and provider-initiated preterm birth (PTB), and how timing of infection, and race/ethnicity as a marker of structural inequality, may modify this association. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study among pregnant people who delivered singleton, liveborn infants (22-44 weeks gestation) from 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2021 (n = 68,288). We used Cox proportional hazards models to compare the hazard of PTB between pregnant people with and without laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. We evaluated this association according to the trimester of infection, timing from infection to birth, and timing of PTB. We also examined the joint associations of SARS-CoV-2 infection and race/ethnicity with PTB using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). RESULTS Positive SARS-CoV-2 tests were identified for 2195 pregnant people (3.2%). The prevalence of PTB was 7.2% (3.8% spontaneous, 3.6% provider-initiated). SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of PTB overall (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34, 1.74), and provider-initiated PTB (HR 1.79, 95% CI 1.50, 2.12) but not spontaneous PTB (HR 1.09, 95% CI 0.89, 1.36). Second trimester infections were associated with an increased risk of provider-initiated PTB, and third trimester infections were associated with an increased risk of both PTB subtypes. A joint inverse association between White non-Hispanic race/ethnicity and SARS-CoV-2 infection and spontaneous PTB (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.34, 0.94; RERI -0.6, 95% CI -1.0, -0.2) was also observed. CONCLUSIONS SARS-CoV-2 infections were primarily associated with an increased risk for provider-initiated PTB in this study. These findings highlight the importance of promoting infection-prevention strategies among pregnant people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Darling
- Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Bureau of Family Health and NutritionMassachusetts Department of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Hanna Shephard
- Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Bureau of Family Health and NutritionMassachusetts Department of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA,Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Applied Epidemiology FellowshipAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Eirini Nestoridi
- Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Bureau of Family Health and NutritionMassachusetts Department of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Susan E. Manning
- Bureau of Family Health and NutritionMassachusetts Department of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA,COVID‐19 ResponseCenters for Disease Control and PreventionAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Mahsa M. Yazdy
- Massachusetts Center for Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Bureau of Family Health and NutritionMassachusetts Department of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Cho H, Lee EH, Lee KS, Heo JS. Machine learning-based risk factor analysis of necrotizing enterocolitis in very low birth weight infants. Sci Rep 2022; 12:21407. [PMID: 36496465 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25746-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study used machine learning and a national prospective cohort registry database to analyze the major risk factors of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants, including environmental factors. The data consisted of 10,353 VLBW infants from the Korean Neonatal Network database from January 2013 to December 2017. The dependent variable was NEC. Seventy-four predictors, including ambient temperature and particulate matter, were included. An artificial neural network, decision tree, logistic regression, naïve Bayes, random forest, and support vector machine were used to evaluate the major predictors of NEC. Among the six prediction models, logistic regression and random forest had the best performance (accuracy: 0.93 and 0.93, area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve: 0.73 and 0.72, respectively). According to random forest variable importance, major predictors of NEC were birth weight, birth weight Z-score, maternal age, gestational age, average birth year temperature, birth year, minimum birth year temperature, maximum birth year temperature, sepsis, and male sex. To the best of our knowledge, the performance of random forest in this study was among the highest in this line of research. NEC is strongly associated with ambient birth year temperature, as well as maternal and neonatal predictors.
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Murphy CC, Betts AC, Allicock MA, Shay LA, Preston SM, Cohn BA, Lupo PJ, Pruitt SL. Stillbirth After Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer: A Population-Based Study. J Natl Cancer Inst 2022; 114:1674-1680. [PMID: 36029247 PMCID: PMC9745431 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djac168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gonadotoxic effects of cancer treatment may increase risk of adverse birth outcomes in adolescent and young adult (AYA, aged 15-39 years) women diagnosed with cancer. We estimated risk of stillbirth (fetal death of gestational age ≥20 weeks or weighing ≥350 grams) in a population-based sample of AYA women. METHODS AYA women diagnosed with cancer between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2015, were identified using the Texas Cancer Registry and linked to live birth and fetal death certificates through December 31, 2016. Among AYA women, cumulative incidence of stillbirth was estimated by gestational age, and Poisson regression models identified factors associated with stillbirth. Standardized fetal mortality ratios (SMR) compared the observed fetal mortality rate in AYA women with the expected fetal mortality rate in the general population. RESULTS A total of 11 628 live births and 68 stillbirths occurred to 8402 AYA women after diagnosis. Cumulative incidence of stillbirth in AYA women was 0.70% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.51% to 0.96%) at 40 weeks of gestation. Risk of stillbirth was higher among Hispanic (risk ratio [RR] = 2.64, 95% CI = 1.29 to 5.41) and non-Hispanic Black (RR = 4.13, 95% CI = 1.68 to 10.16) women compared with non-Hispanic White women; there was no association with receipt of chemotherapy or time since diagnosis. Age- and race and ethnicity-adjusted fetal mortality rate in AYA women was similar to the general population (SMR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.77 to 1.26). CONCLUSIONS AYA women may be counseled that overall risk of stillbirth is low, and for most, cancer does not appear to confer additional risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin C Murphy
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA
- Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Andrea C Betts
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health School of Public Health, Dallas Regional Campus, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Marlyn A Allicock
- Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health School of Public Health, Dallas Regional Campus, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - L Aubree Shay
- Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, Houston, TX, USA
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health School of Public Health, San Antonio Regional Campus, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Sharice M Preston
- Department of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA
- Texas Center for Pediatric Population Health, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Barbara A Cohn
- Child Health and Development Studies, Public Health Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Philip J Lupo
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sandi L Pruitt
- Department of Population & Data Sciences, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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Mesiano S. Progesterone withdrawal and parturition. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2022; 224:106177. [PMID: 36096351 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2022.106177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The steroid hormone progesterone (P4), acting via the nuclear P4 receptors (PRs) in uterine cells, is essential for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. P4/PR signaling maintains pregnancy by promoting uterine quiescence and blocking the contractions of labor. Withdrawal of the P4/PR block to labor induces parturition. The success of pregnancy requires the timely birth of a mature neonate to a healthy mother, and to this end, the mechanism by which the P4/PR block is withdrawn, and how that process is physiologically controlled is critical. This review examines current understanding of cell and molecular biology of P4/PR withdrawal in the control of parturition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Mesiano
- William H Weir MD Professor of Reproductive Biology, Department of Reproductive Biology Case, Western Reserve University, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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Vidal MS, Lintao RCV, Severino MEL, Tantengco OAG, Menon R. Spontaneous preterm birth: Involvement of multiple feto-maternal tissues and organ systems, differing mechanisms, and pathways. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1015622. [PMID: 36313741 PMCID: PMC9606232 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1015622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Survivors of preterm birth struggle with multitudes of disabilities due to improper in utero programming of various tissues and organ systems contributing to adult-onset diseases at a very early stage of their lives. Therefore, the persistent rates of low birth weight (birth weight < 2,500 grams), as well as rates of neonatal and maternal morbidities and mortalities, need to be addressed. Active research throughout the years has provided us with multiple theories regarding the risk factors, initiators, biomarkers, and clinical manifestations of spontaneous preterm birth. Fetal organs, like the placenta and fetal membranes, and maternal tissues and organs, like the decidua, myometrium, and cervix, have all been shown to uniquely respond to specific exogenous or endogenous risk factors. These uniquely contribute to dynamic changes at the molecular and cellular levels to effect preterm labor pathways leading to delivery. Multiple intervention targets in these different tissues and organs have been successfully tested in preclinical trials to reduce the individual impacts on promoting preterm birth. However, these preclinical trial data have not been effectively translated into developing biomarkers of high-risk individuals for an early diagnosis of the disease. This becomes more evident when examining the current global rate of preterm birth, which remains staggeringly high despite years of research. We postulate that studying each tissue and organ in silos, as how the majority of research has been conducted in the past years, is unlikely to address the network interaction between various systems leading to a synchronized activity during either term or preterm labor and delivery. To address current limitations, this review proposes an integrated approach to studying various tissues and organs involved in the maintenance of normal pregnancy, promotion of normal parturition, and more importantly, contributions towards preterm birth. We also stress the need for biological models that allows for concomitant observation and analysis of interactions, rather than focusing on these tissues and organ in silos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel S. Vidal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ryan C. V. Lintao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Mary Elise L. Severino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ourlad Alzeus G. Tantengco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Ramkumar Menon
- Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
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Wu G, Grassi P, MacIntyre DA, Molina BG, Sykes L, Kundu S, Hsiao CT, Khoo KH, Bennett PR, Dell A, Haslam SM. N-glycosylation of cervicovaginal fluid reflects microbial community, immune activity, and pregnancy status. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16948. [PMID: 36216861 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20608-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) is a complex, functionally important and glycan rich biological fluid, fundamental in mediating physiological events associated with reproductive health. Using a comprehensive glycomic strategy we reveal an extremely rich and complex N-glycome in CVF of pregnant and non-pregnant women, abundant in paucimannose and high mannose glycans, complex glycans with 2-4 N-Acetyllactosamine (LacNAc) antennae, and Poly-LacNAc glycans decorated with fucosylation and sialylation. N-glycosylation profiles were observed to differ in relation to pregnancy status, microbial composition, immune activation, and pregnancy outcome. Compared to CVF from women experiencing term birth, CVF from women who subsequently experienced preterm birth showed lower sialylation, which correlated to the presence of a diverse microbiome, and higher fucosylation, which correlated positively to pro-inflammatory cytokine concentration. This study is the first step towards better understanding the role of cervicovaginal glycans in reproductive health, their contribution to the mechanism of microbial driven preterm birth, and their potential for preventative therapy.
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Pastorek M, Drobná D, Celec P. Could neutrophil extracellular traps drive the development of autism? Med Hypotheses 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2022.110929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Oaks BM, Adu-Afarwuah S, Ashorn P, Lartey A, Laugero KD, Okronipa H, Stewart CP, Dewey KG. Increased risk of preterm delivery with high cortisol during pregnancy is modified by fetal sex: a cohort study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 2022; 22:727. [PMID: 36151538 PMCID: PMC9502964 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-022-05061-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous studies show an association between maternal plasma and salivary cortisol and preterm birth but have been primarily conducted in high-income countries. It is unknown whether salivary cortisol is a risk factor for preterm birth in Ghana. Our objective was to determine whether maternal salivary cortisol during pregnancy was associated with pregnancy duration and preterm delivery in Ghana. Methods We conducted a cohort study of 783 pregnant women in Ghana. We measured salivary cortisol at baseline (mean 16 wk), 28 wk., and 36 wk. gestation. Pregnancy duration was determined primarily by ultrasound. We used adjusted linear regression models to examine the association between cortisol and pregnancy duration and Poisson regression models to determine the risk of preterm delivery among women with high cortisol at baseline or 28 wk. gestation. Results Mean pregnancy duration was 39.4 ± 1.8 wk. and 6.6% had a preterm delivery. Mean maternal cortisol increased throughout pregnancy, from 4.9 ± 2.7 nmol/L at baseline (16 wk) to 6.4 ± 3.2 nmol/L at 28 wk. and 7.9 ± 3.0 nmol/L at 36 wk. gestation. In adjusted analyses, higher cortisol concentrations at baseline (β = − 0.39, p = .002) and 28 wk. (β = − 0.49, p = .001), but not 36 wk. (β = − 0.23, p = .084) were associated with a shorter pregnancy duration. Women with high cortisol at baseline (> 6.3 nmol/L) had an increased relative risk of preterm delivery (RR (95% CI): 1.96 (1.13, 3.40)), but the association between high cortisol at 28 wk. and preterm delivery was not significant. There was a significant interaction with fetal sex (p-for-interaction = 0.037): among women carrying male fetuses, high cortisol at baseline increased the risk of preterm delivery threefold (3.18 (1.51, 6.71)) while there was no association (1.17 (0.50, 2.74)) among women carrying female fetuses. Conclusion Higher maternal cortisol is associated with a shorter pregnancy duration and an increased risk of preterm delivery. Subgroup analysis by fetal sex revealed that this association is evident primarily among women carrying male fetuses. Future studies of cortisol and preterm delivery should include consideration of fetal sex as a potential effect modifier. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-05061-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brietta M Oaks
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| | - Seth Adu-Afarwuah
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Per Ashorn
- Center for Child, Adolescent and Maternal Health Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Anna Lartey
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kevin D Laugero
- USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Harriet Okronipa
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | | | - Kathryn G Dewey
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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