Pro-inflammatory maternal cytokine profile in preterm delivery.

PROBLEM The objective of this study was to determine the levels of cytokines produced by maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) upon stimulation with a mitogen, with autologous placental cells and with a trophoblast antigen extract. METHOD OF STUDY Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 54 women with a history of successful pregnancy and 30 women undergoing preterm delivery (PTD) were stimulated with the mitogen and antigens, and the cytokine levels in mitogen-stimulated culture supernatants assessed. RESULTS Significantly higher levels of the type 1 cytokines, interferon (IFN)-gamma and interleukin (IL)-2, were produced by the PTD group than by the normal pregnancy group, which on the contrary showed significantly greater production of the type 2 cytokines, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10. A comparison of the ratios of type 2 to type 1 cytokines is indicative of a type 1 cytokine bias in PTD. CONCLUSIONS These data are suggestive of a maternal type 1 cytokine bias in PTD.