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Vaginal Nitric Oxide in Pregnant Women with Bacterial Vaginosis
Author(s) -
Genç Mehmet R.,
Delaney Mary L.,
Onderdonk Andrew B.,
Witkin Steven S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2006.00388.x
Subject(s) - bacterial vaginosis , vaginal flora , nitric oxide , vagina , gram staining , interleukin 1 receptor antagonist , gestation , vaginal smear , pathological , biology , gynecology , medicine , physiology , andrology , antagonist , receptor antagonist , receptor , pregnancy , microbiology and biotechnology , antibiotics , surgery , estrous cycle , genetics
Problem To evaluate vaginal nitric oxide (NO) production in response to alterations in the vaginal microbial flora. Method of study Cervicovaginal lavage samples from 206 women at 18–22 weeks of gestation were tested for NO, interleukin‐1 β (IL‐1 β ), IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra), tumor necrosis factor‐ α and the inducible 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70). Bacterial vaginosis (BV) was diagnosed based on gram staining of vaginal smears. Results and conclusions Elevated NO (>2.14 mmol/L) was associated with a diagnosis of BV (38% versus 11%, P < 0.008) as well as an increased median vaginal IL‐1ra concentration (72.5 ng/ml versus 36.6 ng/ml, P = 0.041). Elevated vaginal NO was also associated with vaginal hsp70 and this relationship was independent of BV status or IL‐1ra concentrations ( P < 0.026). We conclude that vaginal hsp70 release in response to abnormal vaginal microflora may trigger NO production in an attempt to minimize the pathological consequences of this altered milieu.