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Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Maternal adversity and peripheral proinflammatory cytokine concentrations in pregnancy
Natalia Sifnugel1, Sara B Johnson2,3, Raquel G Hernandez4,2
1NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, 227 E 30th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
Insights
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may suppress immune responses in pregnant individuals, with financial stress potentially altering this relationship and impacting IL-8 levels. Further research is needed to understand these complex interactions.
Area of Science:
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Reproductive Health
- Social Epidemiology
Background:
- Psychosocial stressors, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and financial hardship, are linked to inflammation.
- Pregnancy involves significant immune system shifts, making it a critical period to study stressor impacts on immune markers.
- Few studies have examined the combined effects of childhood and current stressors on inflammatory cytokines during gestation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the associations between ACEs, current financial stress, and concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in pregnant individuals.
- To explore the moderating role of financial stress on the relationship between ACEs and immune activity.
- To examine whether social support acts as a buffer in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Recruitment of 304 pregnant individuals aged 18+ from two US cohorts (North Carolina and Florida).
- Data collection via surveys and obstetric record abstraction, including demographics, health behaviors, and medical/social histories.
- Assay of serum cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8) using multiplex kits and analysis with multivariable tobit regression.
Main Results:
- A significant decrease in IL-6 levels was observed in individuals with 2+ ACEs compared to those with <2 ACEs (Exponentiated β=0.39, p=0.04).
- Financial stress significantly moderated the ACEs-IL-8 relationship (Exponentiated β=1.12, p=0.04).
- A negative association between financial stress and IL-8 was found in the <2 ACEs group, while a positive association was observed in the 2+ ACEs group.
Conclusions:
- ACEs may exert an immunosuppressive effect during pregnancy, potentially influenced by current social stressors.
- The findings highlight the need for further research into how life course experiences impact maternal and child health.
- Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for developing targeted interventions for pregnant populations.
Background:
Psychosocial stressors such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and financial hardship have been linked to inflammatory phenotypes. Few studies have investigated the role of childhood and current stressors on inflammatory marker concentrations in pregnancy, a period marked by shifts in immune activity. This study examined the associations among ACEs, financial stress, and concentrations of three cytokines: TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 in pregnant people. Additionally, we explored whether current financial stress amplified relations between ACEs and immune activity, and, in contrast, whether current social support served as a potential buffer.
Methods:
Pregnant people (n = 304) ages 18+ were enrolled from two prospective pregnancy cohorts in North Carolina and Florida between April 2018 and March 2020. Participant demographics, health behaviors, current health conditions, and documented medical and social histories were collected via survey and obstetric record abstraction. Venous blood samples were drawn and assayed for cytokines using commercially available multiplex kits. Associations between ACEs, financial stress, and cytokines were evaluated using multivariable tobit regression to account for left censoring of cytokine concentrations.
Results:
The mean age of the sample was 30 years and mean gestational age at blood collection was 26.8 weeks. Nearly three-fourths of participants had <2 ACEs, 61.5% were White, 38.5% were Black, and 24.0% were Hispanic. In both bivariate and multivariable analyses, IL-6 levels were decreased in the 2+ ACE group vs. the <2 ACE group (Exponentiated β = 0.39, p-value = 0.04). Financial stress significantly moderated the relationship between ACEs and IL-8 levels (Exponentiated β = 1.12, p-value = 0.04), revealing a negative association between financial stress and IL-8 levels in the <2 ACEs group and a positive association in the 2+ ACEs group.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest ACEs may have an immunosuppressive role in pregnant people. This relationship may be moderated by current social stressors. These results underscore the need for additional research to understand how life course experiences influence health and wellbeing for pregnant people, with implications for their children.
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