TY - JOUR
T1 - Cytokine profiles of women with vulvodynia
T2 - Identification of a panel of pro-inflammatory molecular targets
AU - Zanotta, Nunzia
AU - Campisciano, Giuseppina
AU - Scrimin, Federica
AU - Blendi, Ura
AU - Marcuzzi, Annalisa
AU - Vincenti, Ezio
AU - Crovella, Sergio
AU - Comar, Manola
PY - 2018/7/1
Y1 - 2018/7/1
N2 - Objective: The vulvar pain syndrome (VPS) is a multifactorial disease severely influencing the lifestyle of affected women. Among possible etiological factors, local injury, peripheral and/or central sensitization of the nervous system, and a chronic inflammatory status have been positively associated with the development of VPS. The identification of a constitutive altered local inflammatory profile in VPS women may represent an important point in the characterization of patients’ phenotype as a useful marker influencing the vulvar micro-environment. The aim of this study was to investigative the possible role of the local cytokines production in women with VPS in comparison to healthy women. Study design: In this study were collected vaginal swabs from 57 healthy women (HC) who never suffered from VPS and from 30 patients diagnosed with vulvodynia (VPS) by at least 3 years and currently symptomatic. All patients included in this study showed the absence of Sexually Transmitted (STD) diseases and Reproductive Tract Infection. Real-time PCR was performed to assess the genomic sequences of ST pathogens. The Luminex Bio-Plex platform was used for the analysis of a panel of 48 immune factors. Results: Eleven molecules, specifically involved in the pro-inflammatory pathway were significantly modulated in VPS patients in comparison to healthy women, suggesting a persistent inflammatory process. Conclusions: Therefore, these inflammatory factors could be possible biological markers involved in this disease. Nevertheless, other studies are needed to consider this specific immune profile as a valid marker of the vulvodynia.
AB - Objective: The vulvar pain syndrome (VPS) is a multifactorial disease severely influencing the lifestyle of affected women. Among possible etiological factors, local injury, peripheral and/or central sensitization of the nervous system, and a chronic inflammatory status have been positively associated with the development of VPS. The identification of a constitutive altered local inflammatory profile in VPS women may represent an important point in the characterization of patients’ phenotype as a useful marker influencing the vulvar micro-environment. The aim of this study was to investigative the possible role of the local cytokines production in women with VPS in comparison to healthy women. Study design: In this study were collected vaginal swabs from 57 healthy women (HC) who never suffered from VPS and from 30 patients diagnosed with vulvodynia (VPS) by at least 3 years and currently symptomatic. All patients included in this study showed the absence of Sexually Transmitted (STD) diseases and Reproductive Tract Infection. Real-time PCR was performed to assess the genomic sequences of ST pathogens. The Luminex Bio-Plex platform was used for the analysis of a panel of 48 immune factors. Results: Eleven molecules, specifically involved in the pro-inflammatory pathway were significantly modulated in VPS patients in comparison to healthy women, suggesting a persistent inflammatory process. Conclusions: Therefore, these inflammatory factors could be possible biological markers involved in this disease. Nevertheless, other studies are needed to consider this specific immune profile as a valid marker of the vulvodynia.
KW - Cytokines
KW - Inflammation
KW - Local pain
KW - Vulvodynia
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2018.05.035
DO - 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2018.05.035
M3 - Article
C2 - 29852336
AN - SCOPUS:85047601486
VL - 226
SP - 66
EP - 70
JO - European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
JF - European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
SN - 0028-2243
ER -