Zhuhai Municipal Maternal and Children's Health Hospital, 543 Ningxi Road, Zhuhai, 519000, Guangdong, China.
Division of human Genetics, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019 May 14;19(1):169. doi: 10.1186/s12884-019-2324-5.
Tubal pregnancy is recognized as one of the most common ectopic pregnancy types. Salpingitis may result in tubal pregnancy by causing fallopian tube occlusion and hydrosalpinx. B cell activation factor (BAFF) is a proinflammatory cytokine that helps regulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Our previous study firstly showed that BAFF immunostaining appeared on the cellular membrane and in the cytoplasm of tubal epithelial cells, and both BAFF protein and mRNA in human inflamed fallopian tubes had higher expression levels than those in normal fallopian tubes. This study aimed to elucidate the association between the expression of BAFF gene and the inflammation in the human fallopian tube leading to tubal pregnancy.
We examined 70 patients undergoing salpingectomy for salpingitis (n = 35) and tubal pregnancy (n = 35). Twenty patients with benign uterine diseases undergoing complete hysterectomy and salpingectomy were recruited into control group. BAFF mRNA and protein in tissue samples were detected by qPCR and Western blotting methods. Furthermore, serum levels of BAFF, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured using ELISA kits.
We found statistically significantly elevated expressions of BAFF mRNA or protein in whole tissue samples, and serum levels of BAFF, TNF-α and IL-6 in whole blood samples from patients with salpingitis and tubal pregnancy, in comparison to the control group.
Based on the results, high expression of BAFF gene might induce inflammation in the human fallopian tube, suggesting its possible role in the tubal pregnancy process.
输卵管妊娠是最常见的异位妊娠类型之一。输卵管炎可导致输卵管阻塞和输卵管积水，从而引发输卵管妊娠。B 细胞激活因子（BAFF）是一种前炎症细胞因子，有助于调节先天和适应性免疫反应。我们之前的研究首次表明，BAFF 免疫染色出现在输卵管上皮细胞的细胞膜和细胞质上，人发炎的输卵管中的 BAFF 蛋白和 mRNA 表达水平均高于正常输卵管。本研究旨在阐明 BAFF 基因表达与导致输卵管妊娠的人输卵管炎症之间的关系。
我们检查了 70 名因输卵管炎（n=35）和输卵管妊娠（n=35）而行输卵管切除术的患者。招募了 20 名因良性子宫疾病而行全子宫切除术和输卵管切除术的患者作为对照组。通过 qPCR 和 Western blot 方法检测组织样本中的 BAFF mRNA 和蛋白。此外，通过 ELISA 试剂盒测量全血样本中的 BAFF、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和白细胞介素（IL）-6 的血清水平。
与对照组相比，我们发现输卵管炎和输卵管妊娠患者的全组织样本中 BAFF mRNA 或蛋白表达，以及全血样本中 BAFF、TNF-α 和 IL-6 的血清水平均显著升高。
基于这些结果，BAFF 基因的高表达可能会引发人输卵管的炎症，提示其在输卵管妊娠过程中可能发挥作用。
