Maternal and umbilical serum concentrations of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and its messenger RNA during clinical chorioamnionitis.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether women with chorioamnionitis developed elevated serum granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) concentrations and, if so, whether the G-CSF crossed to the fetus.

METHODS

We quantified G-CSF before, during, and after delivery and in the cord blood of 12 women with clinical chorioamnionitis and 12 matched controls. We also measured G-CSF messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts in mononuclear cells isolated from maternal and cord blood at delivery.

RESULTS

At study entry, G-CSF concentrations were much higher in women with chorioamnionitis (1397 +/- 950 pg/mL, mean +/- standard error of mean) than in controls (17 +/- 5 pg/mL, P < .05). At delivery, concentrations had increased in both groups (2752 +/- 1100 pg/mL in the chorioamnionitis group, 165 +/- 61 pg/mL in controls; P < .05). After delivery, G-CSF concentrations had diminished to 839 +/- 594 pg/mL in women with chorioamnionitis and to 83 +/- 16 pg/mL in controls (P < .05). Concentrations in the cord blood were 2729 +/- 974 pg/mL for the chorioamnionitis group and 51 +/- 17 pg/mL for controls (P < .05). Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mRNA transcripts were more abundant in women with chorioamnionitis than in controls but were scarce in all matched cord blood samples tested.

CONCLUSION

Serum G-CSF concentrations were elevated during clinical chorioamnionitis, and similar levels were found in maternal and cord serum. Because G-CSF mRNA levels were very low in cord mononuclear cells, the G-CSF in cord serum might be maternal in origin.