Fig. 8: Cytokine protein levels in gestational tissues following vaginal UP infection. | Nature Communications

Fig. 8: Cytokine protein levels in gestational tissues following vaginal UP infection.

From: Cervical epithelial damage promotes Ureaplasma parvum ascending infection, intrauterine inflammation and preterm birth induction in mice

Fig. 8

In the afternoon of D16 of gestation, mice received either 10% N-9 in PBS or PBS control via intravaginal inoculation. After 16 h, in the morning of D17 of gestation, mice received either Ureaplasma parvum (UP) in ureaplasma-selective medium (USM) or USM control via intravaginal inoculation. Tissues were collected 48 h later, protein extracted and analysed using ELISA. Mice that were infected with U. parvum than had a previously damaged cervical epithelium (n = 7) demonstrated an increase in the protein levels of CXCL-2 (a, e, i) and TNFα (c, g) at the proximal site of the placenta, myometrium and membranes compared to vehicle-treated controls (n = 6). At the distal site, there was a difference in the expression of CXCL-2 (b) and TNFα (d) in the placenta, but not the myometrium or the membranes (f, h, j). Error bars indicate SD. Statistical significance of the treatment effect was assessed using Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test against the PBS + USM group for CXCL-2 and Dunn’s multiple comparisons test against the PBS + USM group for TNFα (*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01) (n = 6 for N-9 + USM and PBS + UP) (ND: not detected). Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

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