Role of chemokines in early pregnancy loss

The present study aimed to compare decidual protein levels and gene expression levels of chemokines between patients with early pregnancy loss and those with voluntary abortion. A total of 15 patients between 6 and 10 gestational weeks, who presented with negative fetal heartbeat to the obstetrics and gynecology outpatient clinics of Gaziosmanpasa Hospital (Yeni Yuzyil University, Istanbul, Turkey) and who had no additional systemic disease and 13 patients between 6 and 10 gestational weeks, who presented with positive fetal heartbeat for voluntary abortion were included in the present study. CX3CL1, CCL17, CXCR4, chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)5 protein expression levels were determined by ELISA and gene expression levels by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in fresh materials recovered after therapeutic curettage. CX3CL1, CCL17, CXCR4, CXCL12 protein levels were significantly higher and ICAM protein level was significantly lower in pregrant women with missed abortion compared with those with voluntary abortion. While the amount of increase in mean CX3CL1, CCL17, CXCR4 and CXCL12 gene expression levels in the tissues of pregnant women with missed abortion was statistically higher than the pregnant women who underwent voluntary abortion, the amount of increase in ICAM5 gene expression was found to be lower (P<0.001) in those with missed abortion. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggested that CCL17, CX3CL1, CXCL12, CXCR4 and ICAM5 may be associated with missed abortion and may play an important role in placental invasion and the continuation of pregnancy.