Visfatin/Pre-B Cell Colony-Enhancing Factor in Amniotic Fluid in Normal Pregnancy Spontaneous Labor at Term Preterm Labor and Prelabor Rupture of Membranes: an Association with Subclinical Intrauterine Infection in Preterm Parturition

摘要

ObjectiveVisfatin, a novel adipokine originally discovered as a pre-B-cell colony enhancing factor, is expressed by amniotic epithelium, cytotrophoblast, and decidua and is over-expressed when fetal membranes are exposed to mechanical stress and/or pro-inflammatory stimuli. Visfatin expression by fetal membranes is dramatically up-regulated after normal spontaneous labor. The aims of this study were to determine if visfatin is detectable in amniotic fluid (AF) and whether its concentration changes with gestational age, spontaneous labor, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (preterm PROM) and in the presence of microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity (MIAC).