Tumor necrosis factor-β in human pregnancy and labor

Abstract

The aims of this study were to determine tumor necrosis factor-β (TNF-β) concentration profiles in peripheral venous plasma and amniotic fluid during pregnancy and at the time of labor and to characterise TNF-β mRNA expression and TNF-β release from human gestational tissues. In addition, we investigated the expression of TNF-β binding protein, lymphotoxin-β (LT-β), in human gestational tissues. The mean (± S.E.M.) TNF-β concentrations in maternal plasma (TIL, 78 ± 12 pg/ml, n = 7 vs. TNIL, 304 ± 88 pg/ml, n = 7) and amniotic fluid (TIL, 8 ± 5 pg/ml, n = 6 vs. TNIL, 73 ± 20 pg/ml, n = 20) were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in association with term labor-onset (TIL) compared to term not-..