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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Suppression of IL-2 and IFN-gamma production in women with spontaneous preterm labor
Cathrin Wilke1, Harald Renz, Ismail Tekesin
1Department of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Central Laboratory, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg, Baldingerstrasse, 35033 Marburg, Germany. renzh@med.uni-marburg.de
Aims:
To determine the TH-1/TH-2 cytokine pattern in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) in late second- and third trimester in normal pregnancies, in comparison to patients with spontaneous preterm delivery (PTD; < 37 completed weeks' gestation).
Methods:
A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed in a tertiary care obstetric unit with healthy non-pregnant women (n=7); healthy pregnant women (n=25); patients (n=25) with preterm labor (defined as uterine contractions or changes in cervical length). The phenotypic analysis of TH-1/TH-2 immune deviation was examined in PBL.
Results:
26% PTD (n=13) were recorded. Patients delivering at term (n=37, 74%) were characterized by an upregulation of IL-2, IFN-gamma and IL-4 production during weeks 20-25, followed by a strong suppression in cytokine production, except for TGF-beta. Towards the end of pregnancy cytokine levels returned to normal as observed in non-pregnant women. In contrast, PTD showed an inverse pattern for IL-2 and IFN-gamma with marked suppression in IL-2 and IFN-gamma production between weeks 20-25, followed by a strong stimulation of these cytokines. No differences were observed in IL-4 and TGF-beta production.
Conclusion:
An inverse pattern in IL-2 and IFN-gamma production in PBLs between weeks 20-30 is seen in PTD as compared to patients delivering at term.
