The Adaptor Protein p62 Mediates Nuclear Factor B Activation in Response to Inflammation and Facilitates the Formation of Prolabor Mediators in Human Myometrium

Abstract

Preventing spontaneous preterm birth is one of the most important issues facing perinatal medicine today. The pathophysiology of preterm labor, the single biggest cause of preterm birth, is poorly understood. Inflammation, however, plays a significant role in the terminal processes of human labor, which include myometrial contractions. Nuclear factor B (NF-B) drives the transcription of proinflammatory mediators involved in the terminal effector pathways of human labor and delivery. Recent studies in nongestational tissues have shown that the adaptor protein p62 interacts with NF-B to induce inflammation. The aim of this study was to determine the role of p62 in the genesis of NF-B-induced p..