Abstract
Biomedical research is evolving rapidly to address biological systems, such as molecular pathways integrated into complex networks. Tools for molecular discoveries are evolving to address old challenges and create new opportunities. Despite considerable financial and research effort combined with a variety of interventions, the rate of preterm birth has steadily increased to reach a high of 12.7%. Disappointingly, each year, 4.5 million premature infants are born in the USA alone. Although the etiology of most preterm births remains unknown, several distinct pathophysiological pathways are involved in triggering the syndrome, such as myometrial stretching, oxidative stress, decidual hemorrhage and infection. Novel research and diagnostic applications stemming from opportunities presented by the advances of genomics and proteomics begin to impact on clinical diagnosis, vaccine development, drug discovery and unique therapies in a modern diagnostic–therapeutic framework – part of the new scientific field of ‘theranostics.’ This review critically explores a number of newly discovered biomarkers that may potentially revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of women at risk of preterm parturition.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
Dr Irina A Buhimschi is named coinventor on a pending patent application related to the use of proteomics analysis of AF for diagnosis of preterm delivery. Neither she nor Dr Catalin S Buhimschi served as consultants or received research funds from a third party interested in biomarker discovery including Ciphergen Biosystems. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.