Polymorphonuclear Elastase and Interleukin-6 in Amniotic Fluid in Preterm Labor

Amniotic fluid neutrophil elastase and lactate dehydrogenase: association with histologic chorioamnionitis

“…Although further studies are needed to evaluate, conservative management with adjunctive antibiotics to reduce the risk of intrapartum infection might be recommended when the level of amniotic neutrophil elastase is slightly or moderately elevated. Rivero-Marcotegui et al (22) have first reported the level of neutrophil elastase in amniotic fluid in patients with preterm labor. Helmig et al (17) have thereafter reported the similar result that the level of neutrophil elastase in amniotic fluid was significantly elevated in patients with preterm labor or preterm PROM in the context of microbial invasion.…”

“…Rivero‐Marcotegui et al (22) have first reported the level of neutrophil elastase in amniotic fluid in patients with preterm labor. Helmig et al (17) have thereafter reported the similar result that the level of neutrophil elastase in amniotic fluid was significantly elevated in patients with preterm labor or preterm PROM in the context of microbial invasion.…”

Cellular immune responses in amniotic fluid of women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes

“…In the current study, we showed that the number of neutrophils in amniotic fluid is significantly higher in women with pPROM and a positive microbiological culture than in those without culturable microorganisms. Studies investigating the functions of amniotic fluid neutrophils have shown that these innate immune cells can phagocytize bacteria invading the amniotic cavity [67], form neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) [68], and may degranulate, releasing anti-microbial molecules such as myeloperoxidase [69][70][71], alpha-defensins [70,[72][73][74], elastase [70,75,76], cathepsin G [70,77], lactoferrin [78], pentraxin-3 [79], and cathelicidin [69,70] as well as reactive oxygen species [80] into the amniotic cavity. In addition to participating in the host defense response to microbes, neutrophils can also release pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), MIP-1β, IL-1α, and IL-1β, which are implicated in the mechanisms leading to premature labor in the context of intra-amniotic infection [52,53,[81][82][83][84][85][86][87][88][89][90][91][92][93][94].…”

Investigation of Midtrimester Amniotic Fluid Factors as Potential Predictors of Term and Preterm Deliveries

“…Amniotic fluid neutrophils are of fetal origin and accumulation of elastase in the amniotic fluid could reflect fetal inflammatory response, as it happens with respective increase of metalloproteinase 8 [ 17 ]. Relatively, a positive correlation of elastase with interleukin-6 has been previously reported [ 34 ]. A possible explanation for the lower SLPI concentrations in cases of ruptured membranes is its consumption early in pregnancy during repeated inflammatory processes.…”