
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mitchell, MD 
A1  - Hunter, C 
A1  - Dudley, DJ 
A1  - Varner, MW 
T1  - Significant decrease in parathyroid hormone-related protein concentrations in amniotic fluid with labour at term but not preterm
JF  - Reproduction, Fertility and Development
JO  - Reprod. Fertil. Dev.
Y1  - 1996
VL  - 8
IS  - 2
SP  - 231
EP  - 234
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/RD9960231 
N2  - It has been determined whether amniotic fluid concentrations of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) change with labour. An evaluation of which cells from intrauterine tissues might produce PTHrP has also been conducted. Amniotic fluid was obtained by amniocentesis from women: (1) at term, not in labour; (2) in normal term labour; (3) in preterm labour, undelivered within one week; (4) in preterm labour, delivered within one week; (5) in preterm labour associated with clinical chorioamnionitis; and (6) who were gestation-matched controls for chorioamnionitis patients-women in this group were similar to those in Group 4 but were different patients. Amnion, chorion, and decidual cells were grown by standard techniques and incubated with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta). PTHrP was assayed in duplicate samples of amniotic fluid or tissue culture media using an immunoradiometric assay. There was a significant reduction in amniotic fluid concentrations of PTHrP during labour at term. Preterm labour was not associated with significant changes in amniotic fluid concentrations of PTHrP although a trend for reduced concentrations was observed. Amnion and chorion produced measurable quantities of PTHrP and rates of production were increased by treatment with IL-1 beta. Decidual cells did not produce detectable amounts of PTHrP. Hence, labour at term is associated with a decrease in amniotic fluid PTHrP concentrations that may reflect reduced amnion production, which in turn may play a permissive or active role in the mechanism(s) of parturition. These data support the view that the mechanisms that control term and preterm labour may be regulated differently. 
ER  -

