Screening of Early Chorioamnionitis Diagnostic Markers in Preterm Premature Ruptures of Membrane Patients Based on the TLR/CLEC4E/NF-kB Pathway

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to screen early diagnostic markers for chorioamnionitis (CAM) in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) patients based on the Toll-like receptor/C-type lectin domain family 4 member E/Nuclear Factor-kappa B (TLR/CLEC4E/NF-kB) pathway. Methods: 50 PPROM patients admitted to Shenzhen Futian District Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital from May 2020 to March 2021 were selected and divided into a Study Group and a Control Group. The Study Group had 27 patients with CAM and the Control Group had 23 patients without CAM. The peripheral blood of all pregnant women was collected, and the differentially expressed genes of the two groups were obtained by gene expression profile technology. GO (Gene Ontology) analysis and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) enrichment analysis were used to identify the signaling pathways related to differentially expressed genes. Results: Forty-four differentially expressed genes were detected by gene expression profile technology, including 40 upregulated genes and 4 downregulated genes. Among them, the genes related to the inflammatory response, including TLR-2, TLR-4, NF-kB, and CLEC4E, showed more expression changes. These genes are related to the TLR and NF-kB pathways in the immune response. Conclusion: Differentially expressed genes obtained by gene expression profile technology may become early diagnostic markers of CAM in PPROM patients, especially the TLR-2, TLR-4, NF-kB, and CLEC4E genes, which can be used to predict early CAM.