Effects of interleukin-12 administration during the pre- and peri-implantation period on mouse embryofetal development.
OBJECTIVE
The immunological success of pregnancy is thought to depend upon the establishment of a balance between favorable and deleterious cytokines, the current paradigm viewing pregnancy as a T helper (Th)2 cytokine-dependent phenomenon. In this context, a particular attention should be directed to the potential role of interleukin (IL)-12, which promotes the development of Th1 responses, in the induction of adverse pregnancy-related phenomena. Indeed, very few data linked the Th1-inducer IL-12 to the event of abortion.


METHODS
In this study, we have investigated the maternal and fetal effects of exogenous administration of IL-12 to CD1 (BR) ICR mice during the pre- and peri-implantation period (day 2-6 of pregnancy). Animals have been evaluated for parameters of reproductive performance, embryo and fetal developmental toxicity and maternal toxicity.


RESULTS
Intraperitoneal administration of IL-12 at concentrations from 2.5 to 10 microg/kg daily did not result in an increase in the murine abortion rate. A statistically significant, although minimal, decrease in the number of somites were found in the embryos of animals treated with IL-12 at a dose of 10 microg/kg/day. However, developmental parameters at birth were similar between the two groups of animals suggesting that alteration of somites might be a transitory state during treatment. An increased body weight gains and reduced feed and water consumption were observed in the mothers treated with the cytokine.


CONCLUSIONS
In the present experimental conditions and in this specific strain of mice, IL-12 does not exert adverse effects on reproductive performance and induces an only modest harmful action on mothers and embryos.
Reina
Michela
M
Molecular Biology Laboratory Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
Broccia
Maria Luisa
ML
Menegola
Elena
E
Di Blasio
Anna Maria
AM
Viganò
Paola
P
Giavini
Erminio
E
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D003656:Decidua / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D020964:Embryo Loss; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005327:Fetal Resorption; D005333:Fetus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D019170:Somites / Q000187:drug effects; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects
D018664:Interleukin-12