Slit2 withdrawal could contribute to the common inflammatory pathway leading to labor

We would like to comment on the article published by Lim et al., in which the potential tissue-specific role of Slit2 in human labor was elegantly demonstrated (Lim et al., 2014). We think that some features of the article have been overlooked and deserve to be emphasized. Converging lines of evidence imply the major roles played by IL-1 and inflammation in the mechanism of labor onset, independently of infection. Nevertheless, what causes increased expression of IL-1 in uteroplacental tissue close to labor onset is a hitherto unsolved inquiry.

Source: Journal of Reproductive Immunology - January 2, 2015 Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Mathieu Nadeau-Vallée, Xin Hou Source Type: research