Human Cytomegalovirus-Induces Cytokine Changes in the Placenta with Implications for Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0052899
• Publication Date: 2012-12-31T22:25:39Z
• Authors: Stuart T. Hamilton; Gillian Scott; Zin Naing; Jenna Iwasenko; Beverley Hall; Nicole Graf; Susan Arbuckle; Maria E. Craig; William D. Rawlinson
• Keywords: Ex vivo; Fetal membrane

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the developing fetus can result in adverse pregnancy outcomes including death utero. Fetal injury results from direct viral cytopathic damage to CMV-infected fetus, although evidence suggests CMV placental may indirectly cause possibly via immune dysregulation with dysfunction. This study investigated effects on expression chemokine MCP-1 (CCL2) and cytokine TNF-α placentae naturally infected stillborn babies, compared these changes those found villous explant histocultures acutely ex vivo. Tissue protein levels were assessed using quantitative immunohistochemistry. babies had significantly elevated uninfected (p = 0.001 p 0.007), which was not observed other microorganisms 0.62 0.71) (n 7 per group). Modelling acute clinical vivo showed laboratory strain AD169 (0.2 pfu/ml) caused explants 0.0003 p<0.0001) 25 Explant wild-type Merlin at a tenfold lower multiplicity (0.02 pfu/ml), significant positive correlation between increased upregulation 0.0001 0.017). Cytokine has been associated pregnancy, negatively affect development function. These novel findings demonstrate modulates environment multicellular model, suggesting CMV-induced modulation as potential initiator and/or exacerbator fetal injury.