Expression of chemokine CCL20 in spontaneous preterm birth

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2026.04.002

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective ·To analyze the expression levels of C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) in peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, and placental maternal surface of women with spontaneous preterm birth (S-PTB), and to explore the potential role of chemokine CCL20 in preterm labor. Methods ·The expression of CCL20 protein in plasma from peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood of pregnant women with spontaneous preterm delivery (S-PTB group, n=20) and term delivery (Term group, n=20), collected at the International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, between October 2020 and February 2022, was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between CCL20 expression levels in peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood plasma and gestational age. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of CCL20 protein in the placental maternal surface tissues. Meanwhile, the levels of total nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and phosphorylated NF-κB proteins in placental tissues were detected by Western blotting. Results ·Among women at different gestational ages at delivery onset, the expression level of CCL20 protein in peripheral blood plasma was higher than that in umbilical cord blood plasma (P<0.001). In the S-PTB group, the level of CCL20 protein in the plasma of umbilical cord blood was higher than that in the Term group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). In addition, the expression level of CCL20 in umbilical cord blood plasma was negatively correlated with gestational age (R=-0.319, P<0.05). Western blotting and immunohistochemistry showed that the expression of CCL20 protein was significantly increased in the placental maternal surface tissues of the S-PTB group (P<0.05). The relative expression level of phosphorylated NF-κB protein in placenta tissues of the S-PTB group was higher than that of the Term group (P<0.05). Conclusion ·The expression of chemokine CCL20 is up regulated at the maternal-fetal interface in women with S-PTB, and CCL20 may be involved in the occurrence of S-PTB through activation of the NF-κB pathway.

Key words: chemokine, C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20), spontaneous preterm birth, placental maternal surface, maternal-fetal interface

CLC Number:

R714.21

Yu Tiantian, Huang Zixuan, Li Yanan, Zhang Yuan, Lu Danyang, Zeng Weihong, Fan Jianxia. Expression of chemokine CCL20 in spontaneous preterm birth[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science), 2026, 46(4): 427-433.

Figures/Tables 7

Tab 1 General clinical characteristics of the study participants

Characteristic	Term group (n=20)	S-PTB group (n=20)	P value
Age/year	31.7±3.6	30.9±3.6	0.486
Height/cm	162.0±5.3	161.2±7.7	0.696
Prepregnant weight/kg	54.3±8.4	55.6±5.7	0.316
Prepregnant BMI/(kg·m^-2)	20.7±2.8	21.5±1.9	0.062
Gestational age/week	39.5±0.7	33.4±1.5	<0.001

Fig 1 Expression of CCL20 protein in maternal peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood plasma at labor onset

Fig 2 Pearson correlation analysis of CCL20 expression levels in peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood plasma with gestational age at delivery

Fig 3 Expression of chemokine CCL20 in placental tissues from the Term group and the S-PTB group

Fig 4 Hematoxylin and eosin staining of the maternal surface of placental tissue

Fig 5 Immunohistochemical staining of CCL20 protein in placental tissues from the Term group and the S-PTB group

Fig 6 Expression of phosphorylated NF-κB and total NF-κB proteins in the maternal surface of placental tissue

TrendMD

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