Vaginal Smear TNF-alpha, IL18, TLR4, and GATA3 mRNA Levels Correlate with Local Inflammation

CLINICAL RESEARCH
Olga Bourmenskaya¹, Guldana Bayramova¹, Oksana Nepsha¹, Denis Rebrikov¹,²*, Dmitry Trofimov¹, Vera Muravieva¹, Gennady Sukhikh¹

¹V. I. Kulakov Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, Moscow, Russia; ²DNA-Technology JSC, Moscow, Russia

*Corresponding author:  Denis Rebrikov. V. I. Kulakov Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology; DNA-Technology JSC, Moscow, Russia. E-mail: ncagip4@gmail.com

Published: December 23, 2014. 

Abstract: 

Background: A molecular approach to estimation of local inflammatory response associated with dysbiotic conditions of the vagina is reported. This approach is based on immune response gene transcription levels measured by qPCR assay.

Methods and Results: qPCR analysis of 24 immune response gene transcripts in vaginal smears was performed for 215 women with vaginitis and 95 healthy controls. The data were sorted by comparison to local inflammatory response profiles assessed by conventional methods. The local inflammatory response in the vagina is found to correlate with TNF-alpha, IL18, TLR4, and GATA3 transcript levels. Sensitivity and specificity of the approach, as validated in accordance with conventional clinical examination results, are 94.9% and 93.7%, respectively.

Conclusions: The noninvasive diagnostic approach to vaginal pathology based solely on its molecular characterization may prove to be clinically relevant.

Keywords: 
vaginitis; inflammation; cytokine; mRNA; qPCR.
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Int J Biomed. 2014; 4(4):204-208. © 2014 International Medical Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved.