The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not lipoteichoic
acid (LTA) could induce preterm delivery in mice. On days 15 and 17 o
f pregnancy, female C3H/HeN mice impregnated by male B6D2F(1) mice wer
e given intraperitoneal injections of LTA (12.5-75 mg/kg, single dose
or repeated doses at a 3-h interval). We examined the changes in cervi
x, placental trophoblasts, and plasma and amniotic fluid concentration
s of interleukin-l alpha (IL-1 alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor
necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) after dosing with LTA. In addition,
the effect of LTA on the contraction of isolated uterine muscle from
pregnant mice was also measured. The incidence of preterm delivery was
highest (100%), when the pregnant animals were treated with 75 mg/kg
LTA twice on day 15 of pregnancy or with 25 mg/kg LTA twice on day 17
of pregnancy. LTA-accelerated cervical ripening and placental abruptio
n preceding the onset of preterm delivery, as well as increased plasma
and amniotic fluid concentrations of IL-1 alpha, IL-6, and TNF-alpha.
Also, LTA increased contraction of uterine muscle strips. In conclusi
on, LTA induced preterm delivery in mice in the same manner as lipopol
ysaccharide (LPS), but the effective dose of LTA was larger than that
of LPS. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.