Cervical cytokine network patterns during pregnancy: the role of bacterial vaginosis and geographic ancestry

Few studies have examined the coordinated regulation of the extensive network of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors involved in the immune response to bacterial vaginosis (BV) during pregnancy. We compared these patterns between women with (BV+) and without (BV−) bacterial vaginosis and between women of African and of European ancestry. This cohort included 83 Whites (28 BV+ and 55 BV−) and 80 Blacks (41 BV+ and 39 BV−). Pairwise correlations were determined for 28 factors that included cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. In Whites, there were significantly more correlations involving immunoregulatory cytokines in BV− compared with BV+ women. In Blacks, there were no significant differences in the correlation patterns between BV+ and BV− women. Overall, in BV− women, there were no significant differences in the correlation patterns between Whites and Blacks. Conversely, in BV+ women, Blacks have a stronger correlated response to infection than Whites. This indicates that Whites and Blacks have different correlated immune responses to BV that may at least partially explain the disparity observed in the prevalence of this disease.