TITLE:
Expression of Toll-Like Receptor-2 and -4 in Amniochorion Membranes of Preterm Delivery in the Presence of Histologic Chorioamnionitis
AUTHORS:
Natália Prearo Moço, Laura Fernandes Martin, Jossimara Polettini, Ana Carolina Pereira, José Carlos Peraçoli, Márcia Guimarães da Silva
KEYWORDS:
Preterm Labor, Pregnancy Complications, Innate Immunology, TLR-2, TLR-4
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.4 No.14,
October
7,
2014
ABSTRACT: Expression of Toll-like
receptors at the maternal-fetal interface during normal and complicated
pregnancies has aroused interest in the last few years. However, despite the
importance of TLR-2 and TLR-4, which recognizes most microorganisms presenting
in the amniotic cavity infections associated with prematurity, comparison of
the expressions of these receptors is rare in the literature. Thus, the purpose
of this study was to compare the gene expression between TLR-2 and TLR-4 in
amniochorion membranes of pregnant women with preterm delivery in the presence
of histologic chorioamnionitis (HCA). Amniochorion membranes were collected
from 40 pregnant women with preterm delivery; 20 presented HCA and 20 did not.
Fragments of the membranes were submitted to total RNA extraction, followed by
cDNA production by reverse transcription. Real time quantitative PCR was used
to quantify the gene expression of the TLRs. mRNA concentrations between TLR-2
and TLR-4 were compared using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney test. TLR-2
expression was higher than TLR-4 expression in the presence of HCA. No
difference was observed between TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression in membranes in the
absence of inflammatory infiltrate. In conclusion, amniochorion membranes
express TLR-2 and TLR-4 and higher TLR-2 expression in the presence of
histologic chorioamnionitis suggests that microorganisms recognizable by TLR-2
play an important role in the physiopathology of preterm labor.