Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in choriodecidua with labour and delivery at term and preterm

To evaluate the association between intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the chorio-decidua and preterm labour and delivery, ICAM-1 mRNA abundance was assessed by northern analysis, and protein levels by ELISA, in samples of this tissue after term and preterm delivery. The median ICAM-1 mRNA expression following preterm delivery (PTD) was 4.8 and 3.8 times (P<0.05), respectively, those following elective Caesarean section prior to labour at term (CST) and following vaginal delivery after spontaneous labour at term (SLT). The concentration of ICAM-1 protein in the PTD samples was 2.2 and 3.0 times (P<0.05) those in CST and SLT samples, respectively. The differences between the term groups were not significant. The results were substantially the same when a preterm spontaneous labour (PTL) subgroup, exclusive of deliveries complicated by pre-eclampsia or intrauterine growth restriction, was compared with the term groups. Choriodecidual ICAM-1 mRNA expression, but not ICAM-1 protein concentration, significantly correlated to the degree of leukocyte infiltration of the PTD gestational membranes. Neither correlated significantly to clinical indications of intrauterine or neonatal infection. These findings indicate that ICAM-1 is expressed by the human choriodecidua and that this expression is elevated with preterm labour and delivery, particularly with increased leukocyte infiltration.