Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33627129›Full record

ArticleReproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E2021

Whole blood RNA sequencing reveals a differential transcriptomic profile associated with cervical insufficiency: a pilot study.

Ga-Hyun Son, So Yeon Choi, Yeon-Ji Ju, Keun-Young Lee, Jae Jun Lee, Ji-Eun Song, Youngmi Kim, Sung Taek Park

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Uncovering the role of genetic polymorphisms in cervical insufficiency.International journal of gynaecology and obstetrics: the official organ of the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics · 2026
    Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. The Role of Antimicrobial Peptides in Preterm Birth.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Ga-Hyun SonDivision of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, 665, Siheung-daero, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07442, Republic of Korea.
So Yeon ChoiDivision of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, 665, Siheung-daero, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07442, Republic of Korea.
Yeon-Ji JuDivision of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, 665, Siheung-daero, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07442, Republic of Korea.
Keun-Young LeeDivision of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, 665, Siheung-daero, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07442, Republic of Korea.
Jae Jun LeeInstitute of New Frontier Research, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, 24252, Republic of Korea.
Ji-Eun SongDivision of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, 665, Siheung-daero, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07442, Republic of Korea.
Youngmi KimInstitute of New Frontier Research, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Hallymdaehak-gil, Chuncheon, 24252, Republic of Korea. kym8389@hallym.ac.kr.
Sung Taek ParkDivision of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, 665, Siheung-daero, Youngdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 07442, Republic of Korea. parkst96@naver.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7841-4532
Hallym University · KR

Funding

Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation NRF-2017M3A9E8033229Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation NRF-2017M3A9E8049714Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the National Research Foundation NRF-2019M3A9E8020538
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe uterine cervix is a mechanical and immunological barrier against ascending infection during pregnancy. Cervical insufficiency (CI), a painless cervical dilation that occurs in the mid-trimester, is an important cause of extremely preterm birth. We hypothesized that women with CI have a differential transcriptomic profile. Therefore, we compared the transcriptomic profile of peripheral blood in women with CI and that of controls.

methodsRNA sequencing was used to generate the global gene expression profiles of 11 women with CI and 4 controls, and differential expression analysis was performed to identify genes showing significant expression changes between the CI (n = 11) and control (n = 4) groups as well as between the CI-preterm (n = 7) and CI-term (n = 4) groups. Gene set enrichment was assessed in terms of Gene Ontology processes, and a subset of differentially expressed genes in CI was validated in a different sample-set by qRT-PCR and ELISA.

resultsThirty genes were differentially expressed between the CI and control groups. Differentially upregulated genes in the CI group included neutrophil-mediated immunity-associated (DEFA3 and ELANE) and bicarbonate transport-related genes. The serum concentration of alpha defensin 3 was significantly higher in women with CI than in controls (P = 0.014). Analysis of differential gene expression according to pregnancy outcomes revealed 338 differentially expressed genes between the CI-term and CI-preterm groups. Immune and defense response to organism-associated genes and influenza A and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways were upregulated in the CI-term group.

conclusionsOur results revealed significant differences in the whole blood transcriptomic profiles of women with CI compared to those of controls. Different immune responses in women with CI may affect pregnancy outcomes.

Indexed as

TranscriptomeAdultalpha-DefensinsFemaleHumansPilot ProjectsPregnancySequence Analysis, RNAUterine Cervical Incompetencealpha-Defensinshuman neutrophil peptide 3Alpha defensinCervical insufficiencyPregnancyPreterm birthRNA-Seq

Identifiers

PMID33627129
PMCPMC7903645
OpenAlexW3130406867

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.