Correlation of serum cytokine determination with pregnancy outcome in women with habitual abortions

Аннотация

Objective: To test the hypothesis that disturbance of the cytokine balance during human pregnancy may initiate spontaneous abortion.

Полный текст

Methods: Levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interferon-gamma (IFN-g), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in sera from 46 women with a history of two or more prior pregnancy losses (main group). Control group consisted of 20 healthy women with first normal pregnancy.

Results: In main group abortions were observed in 11/46 (23,9%) women, 6/46 (13%) pregnancies terminated as preterm labor on 28-34 weeks, in two cases with premature partial placental separation. TNF-a levels were demonstrable in sera of 10/11 women with missed abortions and were 20 times higher than in control group. Normalization of TNF-a and IFN-g levels was associated with regress of symptoms of threatened abortion in main group. Increase of IL-6 levels in first trimester of pregnancy were determinate in cases of abruption of chorion villi and clinical signs of infection.

Conclusion: Statistically significant increased production of TNF-a, IL-6, IFN-g and reduced production of IL-4 characterized threatened abortion group and distinguished them from normal pregnancies. These preliminary data suggest that disturbance of the cytokine balance could play a significant role in the mechanisms of immunologically mediated recurrent pregnancy loss.