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.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tokushima, School of Medicine, Japan.
K
K
Hirano
T
T
Daitoh
M
M
Kamada
N
N
Maeda
Y
Y
Ohmoto
T
T
Aono
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