Matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -9 in cervicovaginal fluid from women during pregnancy and in labor

Author: Dijkstra K.  

Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

ISSN: 1473-0774

Source: Prenatal and Neonatal Medicine, Vol.6, Iss.2, 2001-04, pp. : 122-128

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Abstract

Objective: We sought to determine whether cervicovaginal fluid matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -9 (MMP-1 and MMP-9) levels differed during pregnancy compared with those at term or in preterm labor. Study design: We used sensitive immunoassays to measure MMP-1 and MMP-9 levels in cervicovaginal secretions. Cases (n = 32) included women who delivered preterm, and were sampled more than 3 weeks prior to delivery (n = 19), within 1 week of delivery (n = 7), and during spontaneous labor (n = 6). Controls consisted of 80 women matched for race, age and gestational age, delivering at term and who were sampled at 20-32 weeks (n = 47), within 1 week of delivery (n = 14) and during term labor (n = 19). Results: Among cases and controls, cervicovaginal MMP-1 levels were low and unaffected by labor. Among non-laboring control patients, the median and range of MMP-9 concentrations were also low (0; 0-0.04 ng/ml), and these remained unchanged with advancing gestational age. However, MMP-9 levels increased significantly within 1 week of term labor (0.8; 0-22.8 ng/ml; p = 0.001) and during term labor (6.6; 0-30.6 ng/ml; p = 0.04), with the highest values observed among laboring patients with ruptured membranes (24.8; 19.2-30.6 ng/ml; p = 0.002). Among cases, MMP-9 concentrations were unaltered prior to preterm labor, but increased among patients in preterm labor (0.3; 0-30 ng/ml; p = 0.02). Conclusion: Cervicovaginal MMP-1 levels were low and unchanged during either preterm or term labor. In contrast, MMP-9 levels increased during term and preterm labor but did not predict preterm delivery in asymptomatic patients.

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