Abstract
Monocyte-chemotactic-protein-1 (MCP-1) plays vital roles in immune response, angiogenesis, and pregnancy outcome. We investigated plasma MCP-1 concentrations in 40 mothers and their 20 intrauterine-growth-restricted (IUGR) and 20 appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) fetuses and neonates on postnatal days 1 (N1) and 4 (N4). Maternal and fetal MCP-1 concentrations were decreased ( and = .018, resp.), whereas N1 MCP-1 concentrations were elevated in IUGR group ( = .012). In both groups, fetal MCP-1 concentrations were lower compared to N1 and N4 ones ( = .045, = .012, resp., for AGA, .001 in each case for IUGR). Reduced maternal and fetal MCP-1 concentrations in IUGR may reflect failure of trophoblast invasion, suggesting that down-regulation of MCP-1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of IUGR. Increased MCP-1 concentrations in IUGR neonates and higher postnatal ones in all infants may be attributed to gradual initiation of ex utero angiogenesis, which is possibly enhanced in IUGR.
Highlights
Evidence is accumulating that maintenance of a normal pregnancy is dependent on a delicate interaction between the endocrine and immune systems [1]
Maternal and fetal Monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 concentrations were significantly decreased in the intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) compared to the AGA group after adjusting for multiple comparisons (b: 167.018, 95% CI: 114.511–219.525, P < .001 and b: 216.322, 95% CI: 40.423– 392.221, P = .018, resp.)
N1 MCP-1 concentrations were significantly elevated in the IUGR compared to the AGA group after adjusting for multiple comparisons ((b: −467.934, 95% CI: −824.383−(−111.484), P = .012)
Summary
Evidence is accumulating that maintenance of a normal pregnancy is dependent on a delicate interaction between the endocrine and immune systems [1] Disturbance of this balance can result in a wide range of abnormalities including intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) [2]. Chemokines, a subset of cytokines, specific in their ability to attract and activate immune cells, are thought to play pivotal roles in the immune recognition, maintenance of pregnancy, and parturition [4]. In this respect, unbalanced chemokine expression may contribute to defective placentation and pregnancy failures [3]. The perinatal expression of MCP-1 has not been, up to the present, investigated in IUGR pregnancies
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