@article{3160530,
    title = "Angiopoietin-2 Primes Infection-Induced Preterm Delivery",
    author = "Polyzou, Electra N. and Evangelinakis, Nikolaos E. and Pistiki, and Aikaterini and Kotsaki, Antigone and Siristatidis, Charalampos S. and and Chrelias, Charalambos G. and Salamalekis, Emmanuel and Kassanos, and Demetrios P. and Giamarellos-Bourboulis, Evangelos J.",
    journal = "PLOS ONE",
    year = "2014",
    volume = "9",
    number = "1",
    publisher = "Public Library of Science",
    doi = "10.1371/journal.pone.0086523",
    abstract = "Current knowledge on the participation of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in the
inflammatory process and on the importance of bacterial endotoxins (LPS)
in the induction of preterm delivery (PTD) led us to investigate the
role of Ang-2/LPS interplay in the pathogenesis of PTD. At a first
stage, Ang-2 was measured at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy
in the serum of 50 women who delivered prematurely; of 88 women
well-matched for age and parity who delivered full-term; and of 20
non-pregnant healthy women. Ang-2 was greater in pregnant than in
non-pregnant women. The time until delivery was shorter among those with
Ang-2 greater than 4 ng/ml (odds ratio for delivery until week 34; p:
0.040). To further investigate the role of Ang-2 for PTD, an
experimental model of PTD induced by the intraperitoneal injection of
LPS in mice was used. Ang-2 was administered intraperitoneally before
LPS on day 14 of pregnancy. When Ang-2 was administered before the LPS
diluent, all mice delivered full-term. However, administration of Ang-2
prior LPS accelerated further the time until delivery. Sacrifice
experiments showed that the effect of Ang-2 was accompanied by decrease
of the penetration of Evans Blue in the embryos and by increase of its
penetration in maternal tissues. In parallel, the concentration of
tumour necrosis factor-alpha in the maternal circulation, in fetal
tissues and in the placentas was significantly decreased. Results
indicate that Ang-2 accelerated the phenomena of PTD induced by LPS.
This is related with deprivation of fetal perfusion."
}