Cervical anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations among first-trimester pregnant smokers
Received 4 February 2005; received in revised form 1 April 2005; accepted 25 April 2005.
Objective
Anti-inflammatory cytokines play a role in the lower genital tract immune defense. We examined the impact of cigarette smoking in pregnancy on the detection of the 3 most important anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-4, -10, and -13) in the cervix.
Study design
One hundred fourteen gravid women from 4 to 16 weeks of gestation without bacterial vaginosis or sexually transmitted disease were queried regarding demographic factors and smoking. Concentrations of cytokines were determined with a multiplex assay for cervical swabs.
Results
There was a positive linear relationship between the number of cigarettes that were smoked per day and cervical concentrations of interleukin-4, -10, and -13 (P < .001 for each). Median concentrations of interleukin-4 and -10 were greater among women who smoked ≥20 cigarettes per day than among non-smokers or less heavy smokers (P < .05 for both). There was no difference in concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines between smokers and non-smokers.
Conclusion
Cigarette smoking in pregnancy is associated with an increase of cervical anti-inflammatory cytokines without a commensurate increase of proinflammatory cytokines. This may have important impact on the host response to infection.
aDepartment of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine
bDivision of Reproductive Infectious Diseases and Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Research Institute, Pittsburgh, PA
Supported by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grants 1 R01 HD41663-01A1 and MO1-RR000056.
Presented in part at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and Gynecology, San Diego, CA, August 5-7, 2004.
ABSTRACT