Abstract: Infection has been associated with premature birth. Alarmin，a concept has just been coined for less than ten years, has emerged as a key mediator in the regulation of immune responses to infection. High-mobility group box protein 1（HMGB1） is a multifunctional alarmin involved in many human diseases including infectious diseases. Recent reports indicated that HMGB1 was involved in infection-induced premature birth through its receptors toll-like receptor 4（TLR4） and receptor for advanced glycation end products（RAGE）. In this review，we will discuss the role of HMGB1，as well as its receptors TLR4 and RAGE in premature birth. Acute inflammation induced by TLR4 and chronic inflammation mediated by RAGE may contribute to inflammation-induced premature birth. HMGB1 and its receptors could become important biomarkers of premature birth.

Key words: HMGB1 protein, Premature birth, Toll-like receptor 4, Receptor for advanced glycation end products, Inflammation