Predominant production of amniotic interleukin-1 alpha in cases with premature rupture of the membranes.
OBJECTIVE
The physiological significances of the two known subtypes of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in amniotic fluid (AF) were examined by measurements of their concentrations and detection of their location.


METHODS
Each IL-1 subtype in AF collected from 61 patients were examined by newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with high sensitivity. Placenta and umbilical cord from 17 patients were examined immunohistochemically for localization of IL-1.


RESULTS
Different types of IL-1 were predominant in AF; the mean (+/- SE) concentration of IL-1 beta (412.8 +/- 105.4 pg/ml) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than that of IL-1 alpha (116.4 +/- 26.7 pg/ml) in cases with spontaneous vaginal delivery, whereas the concentration of IL-1 alpha (243.1 +/- 81.4 pg/ml) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than that of IL-1 beta (139.7 +/- 59.4 pg/ml) in cases with premature rupture of the membranes (PROM) without intrauterine infection. In these cases, immunohistochemical studies revealed the presence of IL-1 alpha in the trophoblastic layer of the placenta and epithelium of the umbilical cord.


CONCLUSIONS
Amniotic IL-1 alpha was detected predominantly in cases with PROM, and it is thought to be produced in placenta and fetal skin keratinocyte.
Hirano
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tokushima, School of Medicine, Japan.
Daitoh
T
T
Kamada
M
M
Maeda
N
N
Ohmoto
Y
Y
Aono
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011247:Pregnancy
D007375:Interleukin-1