1. Protective placental inflammatory and oxidative stress responses are attenuated in the context of twin pregnancy and chorioamnionitis in assisted reproduction.
- Author
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Price HR, Pang N, Kim H, Coughtrie MWH, and Collier AC
- Subjects
- Adult, Chorioamnionitis physiopathology, Female, Humans, Inflammation physiopathology, Inflammation prevention & control, Placenta metabolism, Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Twin physiology, Reproductive Techniques, Assisted instrumentation, Reproductive Techniques, Assisted statistics & numerical data, Inflammation therapy, Oxidative Stress physiology, Pregnancy, Twin metabolism
- Abstract
Purpose: Assisted reproduction technologies (ART) are associated with increased risks of pregnancy complications and obstetric interventions. Here, we aimed to determine if ART affects placental inflammation and oxidative stress as a mechanism for unfavorable pregnancy outcomes., Methods: The levels of six cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα) were measured using multiplex ELISA. The activity of four antioxidant enzymes (glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase) and levels of two antioxidants (GSH, vitamin E) were measured using commercial/in-house assays. Markers were compared between ART and unassisted pregnancies, and then groups were stratified using ICD9/10 codes to determine differences in specific clinical contexts., Results: In unassisted twin pregnancies, there was a trend of decreased cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, p < 0.05), but cytokines in ART twins were the same or higher. Additionally, GST and GPx activities were lower in unassisted twins, and vitamin E levels were higher in ART twins (p < 0.05). In pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis, there was a trend of increased cytokine levels in unassisted pregnancies (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, p < 0.05). No increase was observed in ART, and IFN-γ and TNFα were decreased (p < 0.05). Placental GST and GPx activities were higher in unassisted pregnancies with chorioamnionitis compared to ART (p < 0.05)., Conclusion: Attenuation of protective placental inflammatory and oxidative stress responses may play a role in the underlying pathogenesis of negative birth outcomes in ART, expanding our understanding of adverse pregnancy outcomes when ART is used to conceive., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)
- Published
- 2022
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