615
Views
10
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Editorial

Insight into innate immunity of the uterine cervix as a host defense mechanism against infection and preterm birth

, , , &
Pages 9-15 | Published online: 10 Jan 2014

References

  • Bryce J, Boschi-Pinto C, Shibuya K et al. WHO Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group.WHO estimates of the causes of death in children. Lancet365, 1147–1152 (2005).
  • Hamilton BE, Martin JA, Ventura SJ. Births: preliminary data for 2006. Natl Vital Stat. Rep.56(7), 18 (PHS) 1120 (2008).
  • Green NS, Damus K, Simpson JL et al. March of Dimes Scientific Advisory Committee on Prematurity. Research agenda for preterm birth: recommendations from the March of Dimes. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.193, 626–635 (2005).
  • Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Preterm Birth. Causes, Consequences, and Prevention. Behrman RE, Butler AS (Eds). The National Academies Press, DC, USA (2007).
  • Steer PJ. The epidemiology of preterm labour – why have advances not equated to reduced incidence? BJOG113, 1–3 (2006).
  • Goldenberg RL, Culhane JF, Johnson DC. Maternal infection and adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes. Clin. Perinatol.32, 523–559 (2005).
  • Buhimschi IA, Zhao G, Rosenberg VA et al. Multidimensional proteomics analysis of amniotic fluid to provide insight into the mechanisms of idiopathic preterm birth. PLoS ONE3, e2049 (2008).
  • Larsen JW, Goldkrand JW, Hanson TM et al. Intrauterine infection on an obstetric service. Obstet. Gynecol.43, 838–843 (1974).
  • Buhimschi CS, Bhandari V, Hamar BD et al. Proteomic profiling of the amniotic fluid to detect inflammation, infection, and neonatal sepsis. PLoS Med.4, e18 (2007).
  • Klein LL, Gibbs RS. Infection and preterm birth. Obstet. Gynecol. Clin. North Am.32, 397–410 (2005).
  • Medzhitov R. Recognition of microorganisms and activation of the immune response. Nature449, 819–826 (2007).
  • Dong J, Olano JP, McBride JW et al. Emerging pathogens: challenges and successes of molecular diagnostics. J. Mol. Diagn.10, 185–197 (2008).
  • Han YW, Shen T, Chung P, Buhimschi IA, Buhimschi CS. Uncultivated bacteria as etiologic agents of intra-amniotic inflammation leading to preterm birth. J. Clin Microbiol. PMID: 18971361 (2008) (Epub ahead of print).
  • Markenson G, Martin R, Foley K, Yancey M. The use of polymerase chain reaction to detect bacteria in amniotic fluid in pregnancies complicated with preterm labor. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.177, 1471–1477 (1997).
  • Han YW, Ikegami A, Bissada NF et al. Transmission of an uncultivated Bergeyella strain from the oral cavity to amniotic fluid in a case of preterm birth. J. Clin. Microbiol.44, 1475–1483 (2006).
  • Goldenberg RL, Hauth JC, Andrews WW. Intrauterine infection and preterm delivery. N. Engl. J. Med.342, 1500–1507 (2000).
  • Andrews WW, Goldenberg RL, Hauth JC. Preterm labor: emerging role of genital tract infections. Infect. Agents Dis.4, 196–211 (1995).
  • Buhimschi CS, Buhimschi IA, Malinow A et al. The forces of labour. Fetal Matern. Med. Rev.14, 273–307 (2003).
  • Buhimschi IA, Dussably L, Buhimschi CS et al. Physical and biomechanical characteristics of rat cervical ripening are not consistent with increased collagenase activity. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.191, 695–704 (2004).
  • Sfakianaki AK, Buhimschi IA, Ravishankar V et al. Relationships of maternal serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and tensile strength properties of the cervix in a rat model of chronic hypoxia. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.198, 223.e1–e7 (2008).
  • Garfield RE, Saade G, Buhimschi C et al. Control and assessment of the uterus and cervix during pregnancy and labour. Hum. Reprod. Update4, 673–695 (1998).
  • Timmons BC, Mahendroo MS. Timing of neutrophil activation and expression of proinflammatory markers do not support a role for neutrophils in cervical ripening in the mouse. Biol. Reprod.74, 236–245 (2006).
  • Read CP, Word RA, Ruscheinsky MA et al. Cervical remodeling during pregnancy and parturition: molecular characterization of the softening phase in mice. Reproduction134, 327–340 (2007).
  • Buhimschi CS, Sora N, Zhao G et al. Genetic background affects the biomechanical behaviour of the postpartum mouse cervix. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. (2009) (Epub ahead of print).
  • Conrad JT, Ueland K. Physical characteristics of the cervix. Clin. Obstet. Gynecol.26, 27–36 (1983).
  • Iams JD, Goldenberg RL, Meis PJ et al. The length of the cervix and the risk of spontaneous premature delivery. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit Network. N. Engl. J. Med.334, 567–572 (1996).
  • Rizzo G, Capponi A, Vlachopoulou A et al. Ultrasonographic assessment of the uterine cervix and interleukin-8 concentrations in cervical secretions predict intrauterine infection in patients with preterm labor and intact membranes. Ultrasound Obstet. Gynecol.12, 86–92 (1998).
  • Mays JK, Figueroa R, Shah J et al. Amniocentesis for selection before rescue cerclage. Obstet. Gynecol.95, 652–655 (2000).
  • Weiner CP, Lee KY, Buhimschi CS et al. Proteomic biomarkers that predict the clinical success of rescue cerclage. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.192, 710–718 (2005).
  • Hein M, Helmig RB, Schønheyder HC, Ganz T, Uldbjerg N. An in vitro study of antibacterial properties of the cervical mucus plug in pregnancy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.185, 586–592 (2001).
  • Kawana K, Matsumoto J, Miura S et al. Expression of CD1d and ligand-induced cytokine production are tissue specific in mucosal epithelia of the human lower reproductive tract. Infect. Immun.76, 3011–3018 (2008).
  • Simhan HN, Ryckman KK, Williams SM et al. Genetic regulation of cervical anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations during pregnancy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.199, 163.e1–163.e11 (2008).
  • Xu H, Gonzalez JM, Ofori E et al. Preventing cervical ripening: the primary mechanism by which progestational agents prevent preterm birth? Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.198(3), 314.e1–314.e8 (2008).
  • Buhimschi CS, Buhimschi IA. Proteomic biomarkers of adverse pregnancy outcome in preterm birth – a theranostics opportunity. Expert Rev. Obstet. Gynecol.2(6), 743–753 (2007).
  • Warner S. Diagnostics + therapy = theranostics. The Scientist18, 38 (2004).
  • Kimbrell DA, Beutler B. The evolution and genetics of innate immunity. Nat. Rev. Genet.2, 256–267 (2001).
  • Kapetanovic R, Cavaillon JM. Early events in innate immunity in the recognition of microbial pathogens. Expert Opin. Biol. Ther.7, 907–918 (2007).
  • Hubert P, Herman L, Maillard C et al. Defensins induce the recruitment of dendritic cells in cervical human papillomavirus-associated (pre)neoplastic lesions formed in vitro and transplanted in vivo.FASEB J.21, 2765–2775 (2007).
  • Pioli PA, Amiel E, Schaefer TM et al. Differential expression of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 in tissues of the human female reproductive tract. Infect. Immun.72, 5799–5806 (2004).
  • Cole AM. Innate host defense of human vaginal and cervical mucosae. Curr. Top. Microbiol. Immunol.306, 199–230 (2006).
  • Geisen C, Denk C, Gremm B et al. High-level expression of the retinoic acid receptor β gene in normal cells of the uterine cervix is regulated by the retinoic acid receptor α and is abnormally down-regulated in cervical carcinoma cells. Cancer Res.57, 1460–1467 (1997).
  • Rozansky R, Persky S, Bercovice B. Antibacterial action of human cervical mucus. Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med.110, 876–881 (1962).
  • Cole AM, Cole AL. Antimicrobial polypeptides are key anti-HIV-1 effector molecules of cervicovaginal host defense. Am. J. Reprod. Immunol.59, 27–34 (2008).
  • Zou G, de Leeuw E, Lubkowski J, Lu W. Molecular determinants for the interaction of human neutrophil α defensin 1 with its propeptide. J. Mol. Biol.381, 1281–1291 (2008).
  • King AE, Kelly RW, Sallenave JM et al. Innate immune defences in the human uterus during pregnancy. Placenta28, 1099–1106 (2007).
  • Kouno T, Fujitani N, Mizuguchi M et al. A novel β-defensin structure: a potential strategy of big defensin for overcoming resistance by Gram-positive bacteria. Biochemistry47, 10611–10619 (2008).
  • Gabay JE, Scott RW, Campanelli D. Antibiotic proteins of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA86, 5610–5614 (1989).
  • Buhimschi IA, Jabr M, Buhimschi CS et al. The novel antimicrobial peptide β3-defensin is produced by the amnion: a possible role of the fetal membranes in innate immunity of the amniotic cavity. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.1, 1678–1687 (2004).
  • Markeeva N, Lysovskiy I, Zhuravel E et al. Involvement of human β-defensin-2 in proliferation of transformed cells of human cervix. Exp. Oncol.27, 308–313 (2005).
  • Buhimschi IA, Buhimschi CS, Weiner CP et al. Proteomic but not enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technology detects amniotic fluid monomeric calgranulins from their complexed calprotectin form. Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol.12, 837–844 (2005).
  • King AE, Paltoo A, Kelly RW et al. Expression of natural antimicrobials by human placenta and fetal membranes. Placenta28, 161–169 (2007).
  • Gravett MG, Novy MJ, Rosenfeld RG et al. Diagnosis of intra-amniotic infection by proteomic profiling and identification of novel biomarkers. JAMA292, 462–469 (2004).
  • Buhimschi IA, Christner R, Buhimschi CS. Proteomic biomarker analysis of amniotic fluid for identification of intra-amniotic inflammation. BJOG112, 173–181 (2005).
  • Foell D, Wittkowski H, Vogl T, Roth J. S100 proteins expressed in phagocytes: a novel group of damage-associated molecular pattern molecules. J. Leukoc. Biol.81, 28–37 (2007).
  • Donato R. RAGE: a single receptor for several ligands and different cellular responses: the case of certain S100 proteins. Curr. Mol. Med.7, 711–724 (2007).
  • Hein M, Valore EV, Helmig RB, Uldbjerg N, Ganz T. Antimicrobial factors in the cervical mucus plug. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.187, 137–144 (2002).
  • Gankovskaia OA, Koval’chuk LV, Gankovskaia LV et al. Role of Toll-like receptors and defensins in antimicrobial protection of urogenital tract in females. Zh. Mikrobiol. Epidemiol. Immunobiol.1, 46–50 (2008).
  • Xu J, Holzman CB, Arvidson CG et al. Midpregnancy vaginal fluid defensins, bacterial vaginosis, and risk of preterm delivery. Obstet. Gynecol.112, 524–531 (2008).
  • Buhimschi CS, Weiner CP, Buhimschi IA. Clinical proteomics: a novel diagnostic tool for the new biology of preterm labor, part I: proteomics tools. Obstet. Gynecol. Surv.61, 481–486 (2006).
  • Lin J, Qian J. Systems biology approach to integrative comparative genomics. Expert Rev. Proteomics4(1), 107–119 (2007).
  • Buhimschi CS, Rosenberg VA, Dulay AT et al. Multidimensional system biology: genetic markers and proteomic biomarkers of adverse pregnancy outcome in preterm birth. Am. J. Perinatol.25, 175–187 (2008).
  • Plunkett J, Muglia LJ. Genetic contributions to preterm birth: implications from epidemiological and genetic association studies. Ann. Med.40, 167–195 (2008).
  • Feuk L, Carson AR, Scherer SW. Structural variation in the human genome. Nat. Rev. Genet.7, 85–97 (2006).
  • Macones GA, Parry S, Elkousy M et al. A polymorphism in the promoter region of TNF and bacterial vaginosis: preliminary evidence of gene–environment interaction in the etiology of spontaneous preterm birth. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.190, 1504–1508 (2004).
  • Crider KS, Whitehead N, Buus RM. Genetic variation associated with preterm birth: a HuGE review. Genet. Med.7, 593–604 (2005).
  • Gonzalez E, Kulkarni H, Bolivar H et al. The influence of CCL3L1 gene-containing segmental duplications on HIV-1/AIDS susceptibility. Science307(5714), 1434–1440 (2005).
  • Pennisi E. Breakthrough of the year. Human genetic variation. Science21, 1842–1843 (2007).
  • Kolialexi A, Mavrou A, Spyrou G, Tsangaris GT. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics in reproductive medicine. Mass Spectrom Rev.27(6), 624–634 (2008).
  • Buhimschi IA, Buhimschi CS. Proteomics of the amniotic fluid in assessment of the placenta. Relevance for preterm birth. Placenta29(Suppl. A), S95–S101 (2008).
  • Buhimschi IA, Buhimschi CS, Weiner CP. Acute versus chronic inflammation: what makes the intra-uterine environment “unfriendly” to the fetus? From free radicals to proteomics. Presented at: The 23rd Annual Meeting of The American Society for Reproductive Immunology. New Haven, CT, USA, 18–21 June 2003.
  • Buhimschi IA, Buhimschi CS, Norwitz E. Proteomic analysis of cervico-vaginal secretions during pregnancy. Presented at: 24th Annual Meeting of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. New Orleans, LA, USA, 2–7 February 2008.
  • Di Quinzio MK, Oliva K, Holdsworth SJ et al. Proteomic analysis and characterisation of human cervico-vaginal fluid proteins. Aust. NZ J. Obstet. Gynaecol.47, 9–15 (2007).
  • Pereira L, Reddy AP, Jacob T. Identification of novel protein biomarkers of preterm birth in human cervical-vaginal fluid. J. Proteome Res.6, 1269–1276 (2007).
  • Klein LL, Jonscher KR, Heerwagen MJ et al. Shotgun proteomic analysis of vaginal fluid from women in late pregnancy. Reprod. Sci.15, 263–273 (2008).
  • Shaw JL, Smith CR, Diamandis EP. Proteomic analysis of human cervico-vaginal fluid. J. Proteome Res.6, 2859–2865 (2007).
  • Mi H, Guo N, Kejariwal A, Thomas PD. PANTHER version 6: protein sequence and function evolution data with expanded representation of biological pathways. Nucleic Acids Res.35, D247–D252 (2007).
  • Calvano SE, Xiao W, Richards DR et al.; The inflammatory and host response to injury large scale collaborative research program. A network-based analysis of systemic inflammation in humans. Nature437, 1032–1037 (2005).
  • Buhimschi CS, Dulay AT, Abdel-Razeq S et al. Fetal inflammatory response in women with proteomic biomarkers characteristic of intra-amniotic inflammation and preterm birth. BJOG DOI 10.1111/j.1471–0528.2008.01925.x (2009).
  • Hitti J, Nugent R, Boutain D et al. Racial disparity in risk of preterm birth associated with lower genital tract infection. Paediatr. Perinat. Epidemiol.21, 330–337 (2007).

Website

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.