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Differential expression of immune system-related components in midtrimester amniotic fluid from singleton and twin
Sriram C Perni1, Robin B Kalish, J Milton Hutson
1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA. scperni@yahoo.com
Objective:
We investigated differences between singleton and twin gestations in immune mediators in midtrimester amniotic fluid.
Study Design:
Amniotic fluid from 252 singleton and 46 twin gestations were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for interleukin-1beta, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-4, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, nitric oxide, Clara cell protein 16, leptin, and the 70-kDa heat shock protein. A subset of amniotic fluid was also tested for leukemia inhibitory factor, angiogenin, and migration inhibitory factor-related protein 8 and migration inhibitory factor-related protein 14. Data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman rank correlation.
Results:
Median concentrations of interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-4, Clara cell protein 16, leptin, and angiogenin were increased in amniotic fluid from twins; median levels of the 70-kDa heat shock protein, leukemia inhibitory factor, migration inhibitory factor-related protein 8, and migration inhibitory factor-related protein 14 were highest in amniotic fluid from singletons (P < .001).
Conclusion:
Elevated levels of immune activators may contribute to the increased rate of preterm premature rupture of membranes and spontaneous preterm birth in twin populations.
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