Resveratrol Protects Against Pathological Preterm Birth by Suppression of Macrophage-Mediated Inflammation

Inflammatory cytokines play a major role in spontaneous preterm birth. Resveratrol has strong anti-inflammatory effects, but its effect on preterm birth in vivo is unknown. We investigated whether resveratrol protects against preterm birth in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced preterm mouse model. Twelve-day-old pregnant mice were fed 20 to 40 mg/kg resveratrol daily. On day 15, 10 μg of LPS was injected into uterine cervices. Resveratrol administration significantly decreased the rate of preterm birth. Resveratrol administration abolished LPS-induced elevation of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin (IL) 1β but not IL-6 levels. The TNF-α messenger RNA levels were decreased in the cervices of resveratrol-administered mice compared with controls. Resveratrol treatment suppressed the elevation in TNF-α and IL-1β levels in LPS-exposed peritoneal macrophages. Further resveratrol treatment eradicated the proinflammatory cytokine-mediated elevation in cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) in peritoneal macrophages. Resveratrol may protect against pathological preterm birth by suppression of elevated proinflammatory cytokines and consequent elevation of COX-2 in macrophages.

Source: Reproductive Sciences - November 13, 2015 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Furuya, H., Taguchi, A., Kawana, K., Yamashita, A., Inoue, E., Yoshida, M., Nakamura, H., Fujimoto, A., Inoue, T., Sato, M., Nishida, H., Nagasaka, K., Adachi, K., Hoya, M., Nagamatsu, T., Wada-Hiraike, O., Yamashita, T., Osuga, Y., Fujii, T. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research