Inflammatory and endothelial markers during the menstrual cycle |
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| Authors: | Roza Chaireti Tomas L. Lindahl Birgitta Byström Katarina Bremme Anders Larsson |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm;2. roza.chaireti@ki.se;4. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Link?ping University, Link?ping;5. Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm;6. Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden |
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| Abstract: | Background The menstrual cycle exhibits a pattern of repeated inflammatory activity. The present study aims to evaluate inflammatory and endothelial markers during the two phases of a menstrual cycle. Methods The study cohort consisted of 102 women with regular menstrual cycles. Inflammatory and endothelial markers (interleukin-6 [IL-6], pentraxin-3 [PTX-3], hs-C reactive protein [hs-CRP], sE-selectin, sP-selectin, intracellular and vascular cell adhesion molecules [ICAM-1 and VCAM-1] and cathepsins L, B and S) were measured during the early follicular and the late luteal phase of a normal menstrual cycle. Results Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) and hs-CRP were significantly higher during the follicular phase compared to the luteal phase (p?p?=?0.025). The other inflammatory and endothelial markers, with the exception of cathepsin B, were higher, albeit not significantly, during the follicular phase. Conclusions Inflammatory activity, expressed mainly by members of the pentraxin family, is higher during the early follicular compared to the luteal phase. This could be associated to menstruation but the exact mechanisms behind this pattern are unclear and might involve the ovarian hormones or an effect on hepatocytes. |
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| Keywords: | Inflammation menstrual cycle pentraxin |
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