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Basic Science

Poster Session 3

(768) Mid-gestation pregnancy serum level of placenta-specific miR-519c is inversely associated with infection-related preterm birth risk.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM  
Location: Prince George's Exhibit Hall CDE, Lower Atrium Level
Objective: Placenta-specific miRNA-519c plays a crucial role in mitigating excessive placental inflammatory responses to repeated infections. Due to its predominant expression in the placenta, it has the potential to serve as a valuable maternal serum biomarker reflecting placental immune status. This study aimed to explore the association of low mid-gestation serum miR-519c with subsequent infection-related preterm birth.

Study Design:

This was a multicenter case-control study of pregnant patients for whom serum was collected during a routine prenatal visit ≤24 weeks and the placenta was histopathologically examined for chorioamnionitis postnatally. Preterm birth (< 37 weeks) cases were compared to term birth controls. miR-519c expression was assessed by qRT-PCR and presented as -dCt using cel-miR-39-3p as a control. The relationship between serum miR-519c level and the outcome of infection-related preterm birth was examined using unpaired t-test, ANOVA, and receiver operating characteristic curves as applicable.

Results:

Sera from 114 patients were analyzed: 54 preterm deliveries (13 with chorioamnionitis) and 60 term controls (21 with chorioamnionitis). Lower miR-519c levels were found among those with eventual preterm chorioamnionitis compared to term births (p=0.03) and uninfected preterm births (p< 0.01), as shown in Figure Panel (a). Preterm birth was not associated with lower miR-519c levels in the absence of peripartum infection compared to term birth (Panel (a)), nor was the presence of chorioamnionitis alone associated with lower miR-519c levels among those who delivered at term (Panel (b)). Mid-gestation serum miR-519c level was a good predictor of infection-related preterm birth (Panel (c): AUC 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.90).

Conclusion:

Decreased levels of mid-gestation anti-inflammatory miR-519c were associated with subsequent development of infection-related preterm birth. Further investigation is warranted to explore the role of miR-519c in obstetrical outcomes and its utility as a pregnancy biomarker of placental immune status.