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Characterization of the Inflammatory Cytokines in the Vagina During Pregnancy and Labor and With Bacterial Vaginosis

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The Journal of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation: JSGI Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

1) To characterize the presence of interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in the vagina during pregnancy and in labor; 2) to compare the vaginal levels of these inflammatory cytokines between laboring and nonlaboring patients; and 3) to compare the vaginal levels of these cytokines between women with and without bacterial vaginosis (BV).

Methods

Vaginal fluid was obtained by lavage from pregnant women with intact membranes at various gestational ages and during labor at term. These samples were analyzed for specific cytokine levels using standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. A Gram stain, wet mount, and pH were obtained from the vaginal fluid and were used to diagnose BV. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to evaluate the individual cytokine levels between groups, with P < .05 considered statistically significant.

Results

There was a unde range of vaginal cytokine levels found in our pregnant population (N = 72). Vaginal levels of IL-1β (median 1070 versus 245.7 pg/mL) and IL-6 (9.0 versus 0 pg/mL) were found to be significantly elevated in laboring patients as compared with nonlaboring patients (P = .005 and P = .002, respectively). There were no significant differences in the levels of IL-1α and TNF-α between the laboring and nonlaboring women. Interleukin-1β was also found to be significantly elevated in the group of patients with BV (3364 versus 245.7 pg/mL; P = .01), particularly those who were nonlaboring (P = .003). In each individual patient, there was a wide variation in the levels of the four different cytokines.

Conclusions

Measurable levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were present in the vagina during pregnancy and labor. Vaginal levels of IL-1β and IL-6 were found to be significantly elevated in laboring patients as compared with nonlaboring patients. Vaginal levels of IL-1β were also significantly elevated in nonlaboring patients until BV.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North California, USA

    Hytham M. Imseis MD, Phillip C. Greig MD, Charles H. Livengood III MD, Emily Shunior BA, Paul Durda PhD & Mark Erikson BS

  2. Genzyme Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

    Hytham M. Imseis MD, Phillip C. Greig MD, Charles H. Livengood III MD, Emily Shunior BA, Paul Durda PhD & Mark Erikson BS

  3. Connective Therapeutics, Inc., Palo Alto, California, USA

    Hytham M. Imseis MD, Phillip C. Greig MD, Charles H. Livengood III MD, Emily Shunior BA, Paul Durda PhD & Mark Erikson BS

Authors
  1. Hytham M. Imseis MD
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  2. Phillip C. Greig MD
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  3. Charles H. Livengood III MD
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  4. Emily Shunior BA
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  5. Paul Durda PhD
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  6. Mark Erikson BS
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Supported by the 1994 ACOG-Upjohn Grant.

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Imseis, H.M., Greig, P.C., Livengood, C.H. et al. Characterization of the Inflammatory Cytokines in the Vagina During Pregnancy and Labor and With Bacterial Vaginosis. Reprod. Sci. 4, 90–94 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1071-5576(97)00003-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1071-5576(97)00003-8

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