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Low-molecular-weight-heparin increases Th1- and Th17-associated chemokine levels during pregnancy in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss : a randomised controlled trial

Rasmark Roepke, E. LU ; Bruno, V. LU ; Nedstrand, E. ; Boij, R. ; Strid, C. Petersson ; Piccione, E. ; Berg, G. ; Svensson-Arvelund, J. ; Jenmalm, M. C. and Rubér, M. , et al. (2019) In Scientific Reports 9(1).
Abstract

Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is widely used to treat recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) because of its anti-coagulant effects. Although in vitro studies have suggested additional immunological effects, these are debated. We therefore investigated whether LMWH could modulate immune responses in vivo during pregnancy of women with unexplained RPL. A Swedish open multi-centre randomised controlled trial included 45 women treated with tinzaparin and 42 untreated women. Longitudinally collected plasma samples were obtained at gestational weeks (gw) 6, 18, 28 and 34 and analysed by multiplex bead technology for levels of 11 cytokines and chemokines, chosen to represent inflammation and T-helper subset-associated immunity. Mixed linear... (More)

Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is widely used to treat recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) because of its anti-coagulant effects. Although in vitro studies have suggested additional immunological effects, these are debated. We therefore investigated whether LMWH could modulate immune responses in vivo during pregnancy of women with unexplained RPL. A Swedish open multi-centre randomised controlled trial included 45 women treated with tinzaparin and 42 untreated women. Longitudinally collected plasma samples were obtained at gestational weeks (gw) 6, 18, 28 and 34 and analysed by multiplex bead technology for levels of 11 cytokines and chemokines, chosen to represent inflammation and T-helper subset-associated immunity. Mixed linear models test on LMWH-treated and untreated women showed differences during pregnancy of the Th1-associated chemokines CXCL10 (p = 0.01), CXCL11 (p < 0.001) and the Th17-associated chemokine CCL20 (p = 0.04), while CCL2, CCL17, CCL22, CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL12, CXCL13 and IL-6 did not differ. Subsequent Student’s t-test showed significantly higher plasma levels of CXCL10 and CXCL11 in treated than untreated women at gw 28 and 34. The consistent increase in the two Th1-associated chemokines suggests a potential proinflammatory and unfavourable effect of LMWH treatment during later stages of pregnancy, when Th1 immunity is known to disrupt immunological tolerance.

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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scientific Reports
volume
9
issue
1
article number
12314
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:31444404
  • scopus:85071288143
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-019-48799-6
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0ff6189b-f85a-4b9a-bacf-9ea3fc3d1e91
date added to LUP
2019-09-09 08:47:41
date last changed
2024-02-15 20:14:02
@article{0ff6189b-f85a-4b9a-bacf-9ea3fc3d1e91,
  abstract     = {{<p>Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is widely used to treat recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) because of its anti-coagulant effects. Although in vitro studies have suggested additional immunological effects, these are debated. We therefore investigated whether LMWH could modulate immune responses in vivo during pregnancy of women with unexplained RPL. A Swedish open multi-centre randomised controlled trial included 45 women treated with tinzaparin and 42 untreated women. Longitudinally collected plasma samples were obtained at gestational weeks (gw) 6, 18, 28 and 34 and analysed by multiplex bead technology for levels of 11 cytokines and chemokines, chosen to represent inflammation and T-helper subset-associated immunity. Mixed linear models test on LMWH-treated and untreated women showed differences during pregnancy of the Th1-associated chemokines CXCL10 (p = 0.01), CXCL11 (p &lt; 0.001) and the Th17-associated chemokine CCL20 (p = 0.04), while CCL2, CCL17, CCL22, CXCL1, CXCL8, CXCL12, CXCL13 and IL-6 did not differ. Subsequent Student’s t-test showed significantly higher plasma levels of CXCL10 and CXCL11 in treated than untreated women at gw 28 and 34. The consistent increase in the two Th1-associated chemokines suggests a potential proinflammatory and unfavourable effect of LMWH treatment during later stages of pregnancy, when Th1 immunity is known to disrupt immunological tolerance.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rasmark Roepke, E. and Bruno, V. and Nedstrand, E. and Boij, R. and Strid, C. Petersson and Piccione, E. and Berg, G. and Svensson-Arvelund, J. and Jenmalm, M. C. and Rubér, M. and Ernerudh, J.}},
  issn         = {{2045-2322}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Scientific Reports}},
  title        = {{Low-molecular-weight-heparin increases Th1- and Th17-associated chemokine levels during pregnancy in women with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss : a randomised controlled trial}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48799-6}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41598-019-48799-6}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}