Visfatin regulates the terminal processes of human labour and delivery via activation of the nuclear factor-κB pathway

Abstract

The inflammatory process plays a pivotal role during the pathogenesis of human labour, both at term and preterm. Visfatin levels increase during normal human pregnancy and in infection associated preterm labour. The effects of visfatin in the processes of human labour and delivery, however, are not known. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of visfatin on the expression and release of pro-labour mediators in human placenta. Samples were obtained from normal pregnancies at the time of Caesarean section. Human placenta was incubated in the absence (basal control) or presence of a 50ng/ml visfatin for 24h (n=6). Inflammatory gene expression was analysed by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT..