Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Basic Science and Translational Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Department of Preventive Medicine and Population Health, University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, Galveston, Texas, USA.
Am J Reprod Immunol. 2022 Apr;87(4):e13526. doi: 10.1111/aji.13526. Epub 2022 Feb 26.
Interferon epsilon (IFNε) is a unique type I IFN that is expressed in response to sex steroids. Studies suggest that type I IFNs regulate inflammation-induced preterm birth (PTB), but no study has examined the role of IFNε in human pregnancy.
We used stored vaginal swabs between 8 and 26 weeks of gestation from the Global Alliance to Prevent Prematurity and Stillbirth (GAPPS) biobank and measured IFNε by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 29 women with spontaneous preterm births, 34 women with medically indicated preterm births, and 134 women with term births were included. Secondary outcomes included a preterm birth with chorioamnionitis and preeclampsia with a preterm birth. Logistic regression calculated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusting for maternal age, race, body mass index, prior pregnancy complications, lower genital tract infections, chronic health conditions, and gestational age at blood draw.
There was no significant association between IFNε and spontaneous preterm birth (OR 1.0, 0.8-1.3) or chorioamnionitis (OR 1.6, 0.7-3.5). A trend toward increased odds of medically indicated preterm birth (OR . 1.3, 1.0-1.8) was observed. This was likely due to elevated IFNε among women with preterm preeclampsia (OR . 2.0, 95% CI 1.3-3.2). While exploratory, our novel findings suggest that larger longitudinal studies of IFNε across human pregnancy may be warranted.
干扰素 ε（IFNε）是一种独特的 I 型 IFN，它是响应性激素表达的。研究表明，I 型 IFNs 调节炎症诱导的早产（PTB），但尚无研究检查 IFNε 在人类妊娠中的作用。
我们使用了全球预防早产和死产联盟（GAPPS）生物库中妊娠 8 至 26 周时的存储阴道拭子，并通过酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）测量 IFNε。共纳入 29 例自发性早产、34 例医学指征性早产和 134 例足月产妇女。次要结局包括绒毛膜羊膜炎性早产和子痫前期伴早产。逻辑回归计算了调整了母亲年龄、种族、体重指数、既往妊娠并发症、下生殖道感染、慢性健康状况和采血时的孕周后的比值比（OR）和 95%置信区间（CI）。
IFNε 与自发性早产（OR 1.0，0.8-1.3）或绒毛膜羊膜炎（OR 1.6，0.7-3.5）之间无显著关联。观察到医学指征性早产的几率略有增加（OR 1.3，1.0-1.8）。这可能是由于早产子痫前期妇女的 IFNε 水平升高（OR 2.0，95%CI 1.3-3.2）所致。虽然是探索性的，但我们的新发现表明，需要在人类妊娠期间进行更大规模的 IFNε 纵向研究。
