Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science) >

2026 , Vol. 46 >Issue 4: 427 - 433

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2026.04.002

Basic research

Expression of chemokine CCL20 in spontaneous preterm birth

  • Yu Tiantian ,
  • Huang Zixuan ,
  • Li Yanan ,
  • Zhang Yuan ,
  • Lu Danyang ,
  • Zeng Weihong ,
  • Fan Jianxia
Expand
  • Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo Original Diseases, Shanghai 200030, China
Fan Jianxia, E-mail: fanjianx@sjtu.edu.cn.

Received date: 2025-08-10

  Accepted date: 2025-11-25

  Online published: 2026-04-15

Supported by

National Key Research and Development Program of China(2018YFC1004602);National Natural Science Foundation of China(82261128001)

Fold

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

Cite this article

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 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2026.04.002

References

[1] Chawanpaiboon S, Vogel J P, Moller A B, et al. Global, regional, and national estimates of levels of preterm birth in 2014: a systematic review and modelling analysis[J]. Lancet Glob Health, 2019, 7(1):e37-e46.
[2] Perin J, Mulick A, Yeung D, et al. Global, regional, and national causes of under-5 mortality in 2000-19: an updated systematic analysis with implications for the Sustainable Development Goals[J]. Lancet Child Adolesc Health, 2022, 6(2): 106-115.
[3] Sun K Y, Wang N, Liu Y Y, et al. Regulation of term and preterm labor: genetics and epigenetics[J]. Front Genet, 2025, 16:1594030.
[4] Vento-Tormo R, Efremova M, Botting R A, et al. Single-cell reconstruction of the early maternal-fetal interface in humans[J]. Nature, 2018, 563(7731): 347-353.
[5] Wei J, Zhang L Y, Xu H, et al. Preterm birth, a consequence of immune deviation mediated hyperinflammation[J]. Heliyon, 2024, 10(7): e28483.
[6] Zlotnik A, Yoshie O. Chemokines: a new classification system and their role in immunity[J]. Immunity, 2000, 12(2): 121-127.
[7] Schutyser E, Struyf S, van Damme J. The CC chemokine CCL20 and its receptor CCR6[J]. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev, 2003, 14(5): 409-426.
[8] Liu Q, Song M Y, Wang Y, et al. CCL20-CCR6 signaling in tumor microenvironment: functional roles, mechanisms, and immunotherapy targeting[J]. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer, 2025, 1880(3): 189341.
[9] Wang D, Yuan W T, Wang Y P, et al. Serum CCL20 combined with IL-17A as early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for human colorectal cancer[J]. J Transl Med, 2019, 17(1): 253.
[10] Kwantwi L B, Boafo J D, Egleh B E, et al. CCL20 in the tumor microenvironment: implications for cancer progression and therapeutic approaches[J]. Clin Transl Oncol, 2025, 27(8): 3285-3292.
[11] Meitei H T, Jadhav N, Lal G. CCR6-CCL20 axis as a therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases[J]. Autoimmun Rev, 2021, 20(7): 102846.
[12] Hu X Y, Huang X X, Yin T X, et al. CX3CL1 (Fractalkine): an important cytokine in physiological and pathological pregnancies[J]. J Reprod Immunol, 2024, 166: 104392.
[13] Kahouadji S, Giguère Y, Lambert S, et al. CX3CL1/Fractalkine as a biomarker for early pregnancy prediction of preterm premature rupture of membranes[J]. Clin Chem Lab Med, 2024, 62(6): 1101-1108.
[14] Wang X F, Yip K C, He A D, et al. Plasma olink proteomics identifies CCL20 as a novel predictive and diagnostic inflammatory marker for preeclampsia[J]. J Proteome Res, 2022, 21(12): 2998-3006.
[15] Hamill N, Romero R, Gotsch F, et al. Exodus-1 (CCL20): evidence for the participation of this chemokine in spontaneous labor at term, preterm labor, and intrauterine infection[J]. J Perinat Med, 2008, 36(3): 217-227.
[16] Bhatti G, Romero R, Gomez-Lopez N, et al. The amniotic fluid cell-free transcriptome in spontaneous preterm labor[J]. Sci Rep, 2021, 11(1): 13481.
[17] Lv M, Jia Y H, Dong J Q, et al. The landscape of decidual immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface in parturition and preterm birth[J]. Inflamm Res, 2025, 74(1): 44.
[18] Laudanski P, Lemancewicz A, Kuc P, et al. Chemokines profiling of patients with preterm birth[J]. Mediators Inflamm, 2014, 2014: 185758.
[19] Wang W S, Lin Y K, Zhang F, et al. Single cell transcriptomic analysis of human amnion identifies cell-specific signatures associated with membrane rupture and parturition[J]. Cell Biosci, 2022, 12(1): 64.
[20] Svensson-Arvelund J, Mehta R B, Lindau R, et al. The human fetal placenta promotes tolerance against the semiallogeneic fetus by inducing regulatory T cells and homeostatic M2 macrophages[J]. J Immunol, 2015, 194(4): 1534-1544.
[21] Du M R, Wang S C, Li D J. The integrative roles of chemokines at the maternal-fetal interface in early pregnancy[J]. Cell Mol Immunol, 2014, 11(5): 438-448.
[22] Solders M, Gorchs L, Tiblad E, et al. Recruitment of MAIT cells to the intervillous space of the placenta by placenta-derived chemokines[J]. Front Immunol, 2019, 10: 1300.
[23] Porta C, Larghi P, Rimoldi M, et al. Cellular and molecular pathways linking inflammation and cancer[J]. Immunobiology, 2009, 214(9/10): 761-777.
[24] Hua R Y, Pease J E, Sooranna S R, et al. Stretch and inflammatory cytokines drive myometrial chemokine expression via NF-κB activation[J]. Endocrinology, 2012, 153(1): 481-491.
[25] Cao J S, Wang Y X, Lin Q M, et al. IL-1β stimulates ADAMTS9 expression and contributes to preterm prelabor rupture of membranes[J]. Cell Commun Signal, 2025, 23(1): 127.
Options
Outlines

/

〈 〉