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Human cervical ripening, an inflammatory process mediated by cytokines

Sennström, Maria B. ; Ekman, Gunvor ; Westergren-Thorsson, Gunilla LU orcid ; Malmström, Anders LU orcid ; Byström, Birgitta ; Endrésen, U ; Mlambo, N ; Norman, M ; Ståbi, B and Brauner, Annelie (2000) In Molecular Human Reproduction 6(4). p.81-375
Abstract

An extensive remodelling process, referred to as cervical ripening, takes place in the cervical tissue during pregnancy and labour. It is recognized as softening and dilation of the cervical canal, and starts as a slow process during pregnancy, becoming rapid close to partum. In this study we focus on cytokines as possible mediators of this final remodelling. mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were upregulated in the ripe postpartum cervical tissue (n = 8) compared to the unripe state (n = 9). Likewise, released cytokine concentrations increased from non-pregnant (n = 11) to the term-pregnant group (n = 13) with a further increase at partum (n = 16). IL-8 concentrations increased... (More)

An extensive remodelling process, referred to as cervical ripening, takes place in the cervical tissue during pregnancy and labour. It is recognized as softening and dilation of the cervical canal, and starts as a slow process during pregnancy, becoming rapid close to partum. In this study we focus on cytokines as possible mediators of this final remodelling. mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were upregulated in the ripe postpartum cervical tissue (n = 8) compared to the unripe state (n = 9). Likewise, released cytokine concentrations increased from non-pregnant (n = 11) to the term-pregnant group (n = 13) with a further increase at partum (n = 16). IL-8 concentrations increased 4-fold from non-pregnant to term-pregnant (P<0.01), and a further 10-fold to postpartum state (P<0.0001). Concentrations of IL-6 and G-CSF were similarly increased. Specific IL-8 immunostaining was identified in the epithelia of pregnant cervical tissue (n = 7) and was most pronounced in the epithelia and stroma of postpartum tissue (n = 4). In conclusion, IL-8, IL-6 and G-CSF increase in the human cervix during the ripening process, indicating their important role in the cervical remodelling. These data demonstrate that cervical ripening is similar to an inflammatory process.

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; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Adult, Cervical Ripening, Cervix Uteri, Female, Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor, Humans, Interleukin-6, Interleukin-8, Middle Aged, Postpartum Period, Pregnancy, RNA, Messenger, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
in
Molecular Human Reproduction
volume
6
issue
4
pages
7 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:6744237784
  • pmid:10729321
ISSN
1360-9947
DOI
10.1093/molehr/6.4.375
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7e52107c-a9d4-42a1-89cc-ce69475b7b22
date added to LUP
2017-06-27 13:58:46
date last changed
2025-01-07 16:05:08
@article{7e52107c-a9d4-42a1-89cc-ce69475b7b22,
  abstract     = {{<p>An extensive remodelling process, referred to as cervical ripening, takes place in the cervical tissue during pregnancy and labour. It is recognized as softening and dilation of the cervical canal, and starts as a slow process during pregnancy, becoming rapid close to partum. In this study we focus on cytokines as possible mediators of this final remodelling. mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-8, IL-6 and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were upregulated in the ripe postpartum cervical tissue (n = 8) compared to the unripe state (n = 9). Likewise, released cytokine concentrations increased from non-pregnant (n = 11) to the term-pregnant group (n = 13) with a further increase at partum (n = 16). IL-8 concentrations increased 4-fold from non-pregnant to term-pregnant (P&lt;0.01), and a further 10-fold to postpartum state (P&lt;0.0001). Concentrations of IL-6 and G-CSF were similarly increased. Specific IL-8 immunostaining was identified in the epithelia of pregnant cervical tissue (n = 7) and was most pronounced in the epithelia and stroma of postpartum tissue (n = 4). In conclusion, IL-8, IL-6 and G-CSF increase in the human cervix during the ripening process, indicating their important role in the cervical remodelling. These data demonstrate that cervical ripening is similar to an inflammatory process.</p>}},
  author       = {{Sennström, Maria B. and Ekman, Gunvor and Westergren-Thorsson, Gunilla and Malmström, Anders and Byström, Birgitta and Endrésen, U and Mlambo, N and Norman, M and Ståbi, B and Brauner, Annelie}},
  issn         = {{1360-9947}},
  keywords     = {{Adult; Cervical Ripening; Cervix Uteri; Female; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; Humans; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-8; Middle Aged; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; RNA, Messenger; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{81--375}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Molecular Human Reproduction}},
  title        = {{Human cervical ripening, an inflammatory process mediated by cytokines}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molehr/6.4.375}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/molehr/6.4.375}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}