Plasma biomarkers in a mouse model of preterm labor

Pediatr Res. 2009 Jul;66(1):11-6. doi: 10.1203/PDR.0b013e3181a207e3.

Abstract

Preterm labor (PTL) is frequently associated with inflammation. We hypothesized that biomarkers during pregnancy can identify pregnancies most at risk for development of PTL. An inflammation-induced mouse model of PTL was used. Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to analyze and compare the plasma protein (PP) profile between CD-1 mice injected intrauterine with either lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or PBS on d 14.5 of gestation. The median differences of normalized PP peaks between the two groups were determined using the Mann-Whitney U test and the false discovery rate. In a second series of experiments, both groups of mice were injected with a lower dose of LPS. A total of 1665 peaks were detected. Thirty peaks were highly differentially expressed (p < 0.0001) between the groups. Two 11 kDa protein peaks were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS and confirmed to be mouse serum amyloid A (SAA) 1 and 2. Plasma SAA2 levels were increased in LPS-treated animals compared with controls and in LPS-treated animals that delivered preterm vs. those that delivered at term. SAA2 has the potential to be a plasma biomarker that can identify pregnancies at risk for development of PTL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Proteins / analysis*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Female
  • Inflammation / complications*
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Obstetric Labor, Premature / blood*
  • Obstetric Labor, Premature / etiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein / analysis
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Proteins
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Serum Amyloid A Protein