EXPRESSION OF CELL-ADHESION MOLECULES BY ENDOTHELIUM IN THE HUMAN LOWER UTERINE SEGMENT DURING PARTURITION AT TERM

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine whether the expression of cert ain adhesion molecules by endothelium in the human lower uterine segme nt at term varies with the degree of cervical dilatation. STUDY DESIGN : Biopsy specimens of the lower uterine segment of 34 women undergoing cesarean section at term al various stages of cervical dilatation wer e immunostained for endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1, interce llular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and pla telet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule. RESULTS: The expression of e ndothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule-1 was significantly greater at more than 6 cm dilatation than at less than 2 cm (p = 0.00031) as was that of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (p = 0.033). Expression of i ntercellular adhesion molecule-1 and platelet-endothelial cell adhesio n molecule did not vary with the degree of cervical dilatation. CONCLU SION: Cervical dilatation is associated with up-regulation of certain endothelial cell adhesion molecules. The findings support the hypothes is that certain processes associated with cervical dilatation at term resemble those involved in the acute inflammatory reaction.