Bhavana Gupta

• BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences
• Exploring human cell responses to inflammatory cytokines by use of novel inhibitor molecules

The pathogenesis of pre-term labor has a strong association with inflammation. Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as as TNF- α and IL-1β stimulate the NfkB pathway in uterine cells leading to the increased production of cyclo-oxygenase 2, a regulator of the production of prostaglandins, which have a pro-contractile effect in the uterus. IkB kinase (IKK) triggers the dissociatiom of NfkB and IkB, allowing the NfkB to upregulate the production of COX-2; thus IKK inhibitors have been propositioned as anti-inflammatory agents to prevent pre-term labor. This study screened four GlaxoSmithKline IKK inhibitors to test their anti-inflammatory effectiveness on WISH cells using cell treatments.

Funding Source: Reproductive and Vascular Biology Research Group