Term labor is associated with a core inflammatory response in human fetal membranes, myometrium, and cervix.

OBJECTIVE

Identify overlap of the transcriptome of myometrium and cervix in association with human labor.

STUDY DESIGN

The transcriptional profile of myometrial and cervical biopsies obtained from women in spontaneous labor at term (n = 9) and not in labor (n = 9) were characterized by Affymetrix v2 U133 plus 2 arrays. Common canonical pathways and functional groups were identified by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis.

RESULTS

One hundred ten genes (false discovery rate < 1%) were commonly up-regulated by myometrium and cervix in association with labor and 29 genes (false discovery rate < 1%) down-regulated. Fold change in expression of up-regulated genes was strongly correlated; myometrium vs cervix (r = 0.51; P < .001), with no relationship in down-regulated genes (r = 0.26; P = .16). Canonical pathway analysis established up-regulation of inflammatory pathway signaling, with greatest increases in cellular movement and immune response gene ontology groups.

CONCLUSION

Gestational tissues exhibit a core inflammatory response in association with human parturition, with pathways regulating cellular trafficking dominating.