Decrease in 3-nitrotyrosine in the amniotic fluid of women with cytomegalovirus infection

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess oxidative stress in pregnant women infected with cytomegalovirus on the basis of 3-nitrotyrosine levels in amniotic fluid (AF). The 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) level in AF was measured using the competitive ELISA method. The study groups were as follows: group I consisted of women with IgM and/or IgA; group II were women with only IgG anti-CMV antibodies and group III were seronegative women, used as the control group. Age, gestational age and socioeconomic status were also assessed. The average level of 3-nitrotyrosine in group II and the control group was similar: 53.14 nM 3-NT and 49.78 nM 3-NT, respectively. However, in group I, the lowest level 3-NT in AF was observed – 39.17 nM 3-NT and statistical analysis showed significant differences in levels of 3-NT between group I and the control group (p < 0.01). We conclude that significantly lower levels of 3-nitrotyrosine in pregnant women with CMV infection may indicate an increase in the antioxidant defence mechanisms in these patients.

Keywords::

• 3-nitrotyrosine
• cytomegalovirus infection
• oxidative stress
• pregnancy

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

This work was supported in part by Island, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Financial Mechanism and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and Polish budget funds for research and science, project No. PL0270 ‘Prenatal and perinatal human cytomegalovirus infections’.