Figure 8
The role of cathelicidin in the onset of preterm labour triggered by infection and inflammation as modelled by an intrauterine LPS injection. mCRAMP is increased in the wild type mouse uterus following exposure to LPS. This increase mediates a pro-inflammatory response that leads to an enhanced inflammatory cascade, influx of inflammatory cells and an increase in IL-6 (left hand panel). This in turn leads to preterm parturition. In Camp−/− mice, in the absence of mCRAMP, LPS fails to trigger the inflammatory cascade and an increase in IL-6 production. Consequently, Camp−/− mice have a decreased rate of preterm labour in comparison to wild type mice following a low dose intrauterine LPS injection (right hand panel).
