Fig. 4.

Changes in cytokine protein levels in the mouse decidua during normal gestation, term labour and post-partum (TL group), LPS-induced PTL and post-partum (LPS PTL group) and RU486-induced PTL and post-partum (RU PTL group). (A) Pro-inflammatory (IL1b, IL6, TNFα) and anti-inflammatory (IL10) cytokines; (B) Chemokines CCL2, CXCL1 and CSF2 protein expression were detected by multiplex magnetic bead assay. Shown are decidual samples from non-labouring mice (GD15, RU Vehicle or LPS Sham, white bars), GD18 (doted bars), GD19 (term not in labour, checkered bars), term and preterm labouring samples (grey bars) or decidual samples collected 2–6 hrs post-partum (black bars). Results were expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 4–8). Significant difference with GD15/RU486 Vehicle/Sham LPS is indicated by *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01.