title: Macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 in fetal membranes and amniotic fluid from pregnancies with and without preterm labour and premature rupture of membranes.
abstract: The placenta and fetal membranes are the site of expression of macrophage inhibitory cytokine (MIC-1), a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily. We hypothesized that MIC-1 may act as an immune regulator in pregnancy complications associated with intrauterine inflammation. Decidual cells, chorionic trophoblasts and amnion epithelial cells were identified by immunohistochemistry as the predominant MIC-1-containing cell type in term membranes. Amnion and choriodecidual explants all produced MIC-1 in culture, the latter having the greatest production rate (206 +/- 74.5 pg/mg tissue/24 h, n=6; mean +/- SEM). Production was not responsive to stimulation by pro-inflammatory cytokines. MIC-1 was detectable in 217 transabdominal amniotic fluid (AF) samples taken from 15 to 41 weeks gestation, concentrations ranging from 0.9-51.1 ng/ml. AF MIC-1 concentrations in pregnancies with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) or preterm labour, either with or without microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity, were not significantly different from those delivered at term either with or without labour. Treatment with MIC-1 (0.25-25 ng/ml) did not alter production of interleukin-6 or -8 by amnion or choriodecidual cells in vitro. We conclude that AF MIC-1 is derived from the fetal membranes and decidua, but that MIC-1 is unlikely to be involved in the pathophysiology of preterm birth or PROM.
authors.affiliation: Liggins Institute, Department of Pharmacology, University of Aukland Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Aukland, New Zealand. j.keelan@auckland.ac.nz
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Keelan
authors.forename: Kaye
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tinnakorn
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chaiworapongsa
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Murray D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: W Douglas
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Fairlie
authors.forename: Samuel N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Breit
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; C526140:GDF15 protein, human; D055436:Growth Differentiation Factor 15; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8