Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study

Purpose of investigation: The oxytocin (OXT)-oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system provides a promising candidate gene for studies of genetic contributions to prematurity. The author studies the quantification and comparison of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene expression and serum OXT levels in the blood and...

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Main Authors: Kumari Anukriti, Kiran Guleria, Vipin Tyagi, Amita Suneja, B D Banerjee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IMR Press 2021-04-01
Series:Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology
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Online Access:https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/48/2/10.31083/j.ceog.2021.02.2267
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author Kumari Anukriti
Kiran Guleria
Vipin Tyagi
Amita Suneja
B D Banerjee
author_facet Kumari Anukriti
Kiran Guleria
Vipin Tyagi
Amita Suneja
B D Banerjee
author_sort Kumari Anukriti
collection DOAJ
description Purpose of investigation: The oxytocin (OXT)-oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system provides a promising candidate gene for studies of genetic contributions to prematurity. The author studies the quantification and comparison of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene expression and serum OXT levels in the blood and amnion of women delivering preterm and evaluation of the correlation between OXTR gene expression in blood and amnion with serum OXT levels in them. Material and methods: Seventy pregnant women in spontaneous labor delivering vaginally preterm i.e., < 37 weeks and an equal number of matched controls delivering spontaneously at term (37–42 weeks) were recruited. Maternal serum OXT levels were quantified by ELISA collected in the active stage of labor i.e., 4 cm cervical dilatation. Gene expression studies in the maternal blood and amnion were done by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results: The mean serum OXT level in preterm labor (PTL) was 48.56 ± 6.97 pg/mL; significantly higher than in controls (43.00 ± 3.96 pg/mL), P < 0.001. OXTR gene expression in maternal blood (2.5 times) as well as in amnion (3.5 times) was significantly higher in PTL. A significant positive correlation was observed between serum OXT levels and OXTR gene expression in amnion (r = -0.190, P = 0.025). Conclusions: The serum OXT levels and OXTR gene expression in amnion surge significantly in the active phase of PTL. Thus, amnion probably links OXT-PTGs (prostaglandins) autocrine paracrine circuit to facilitate PTL. Future studies are needed to devise better OXTR receptor antagonists preferably acting on amnionic OXTRs to prevent inflammatory pathways leading to PTL.
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spelling doaj-art-52d0a755d96848bfa0fcd0c8df5a89692025-08-20T02:05:11ZengIMR PressClinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology0390-66632021-04-0148228329110.31083/j.ceog.2021.02.2267S0390-6663(21)00081-6Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control studyKumari Anukriti0Kiran Guleria1Vipin Tyagi2Amita Suneja3B D Banerjee4Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, AIIMS, 110029 Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College of Medical Sciences & G.T.B. Hospital (University of Delhi), Dilshad Garden, 110095 Delhi, IndiaEnvironmental Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences & G.T.B. Hospital (University of Delhi), Dilshad Garden, 110095 Delhi, IndiaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College of Medical Sciences & G.T.B. Hospital (University of Delhi), Dilshad Garden, 110095 Delhi, IndiaEnvironmental Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences & G.T.B. Hospital (University of Delhi), Dilshad Garden, 110095 Delhi, IndiaPurpose of investigation: The oxytocin (OXT)-oxytocin receptor (OXTR) system provides a promising candidate gene for studies of genetic contributions to prematurity. The author studies the quantification and comparison of oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene expression and serum OXT levels in the blood and amnion of women delivering preterm and evaluation of the correlation between OXTR gene expression in blood and amnion with serum OXT levels in them. Material and methods: Seventy pregnant women in spontaneous labor delivering vaginally preterm i.e., < 37 weeks and an equal number of matched controls delivering spontaneously at term (37–42 weeks) were recruited. Maternal serum OXT levels were quantified by ELISA collected in the active stage of labor i.e., 4 cm cervical dilatation. Gene expression studies in the maternal blood and amnion were done by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results: The mean serum OXT level in preterm labor (PTL) was 48.56 ± 6.97 pg/mL; significantly higher than in controls (43.00 ± 3.96 pg/mL), P < 0.001. OXTR gene expression in maternal blood (2.5 times) as well as in amnion (3.5 times) was significantly higher in PTL. A significant positive correlation was observed between serum OXT levels and OXTR gene expression in amnion (r = -0.190, P = 0.025). Conclusions: The serum OXT levels and OXTR gene expression in amnion surge significantly in the active phase of PTL. Thus, amnion probably links OXT-PTGs (prostaglandins) autocrine paracrine circuit to facilitate PTL. Future studies are needed to devise better OXTR receptor antagonists preferably acting on amnionic OXTRs to prevent inflammatory pathways leading to PTL.https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/48/2/10.31083/j.ceog.2021.02.2267preterm birthpreterm laboroxytocinoxytocin receptorplacentaamnion
spellingShingle Kumari Anukriti
Kiran Guleria
Vipin Tyagi
Amita Suneja
B D Banerjee
Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study
Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology
preterm birth
preterm labor
oxytocin
oxytocin receptor
placenta
amnion
title Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study
title_full Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study
title_fullStr Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study
title_full_unstemmed Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study
title_short Maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth: a case-control study
title_sort maternal blood and amnionic oxytocin receptor gene expression and serum oxytocin levels in preterm birth a case control study
topic preterm birth
preterm labor
oxytocin
oxytocin receptor
placenta
amnion
url https://www.imrpress.com/journal/CEOG/48/2/10.31083/j.ceog.2021.02.2267
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AT vipintyagi maternalbloodandamnionicoxytocinreceptorgeneexpressionandserumoxytocinlevelsinpretermbirthacasecontrolstudy
AT amitasuneja maternalbloodandamnionicoxytocinreceptorgeneexpressionandserumoxytocinlevelsinpretermbirthacasecontrolstudy
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