title: Expression of interleukin-11 receptor alpha and interleukin-11 protein in the endometrium of normal fertile women and women with recurrent miscarriage.
abstract: Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines. Previous studies have suggested that IL-11 may play a role in human endometrial function. In this study, we have used immunocytochemistry to compare endometrial IL-11Ralpha and IL-11 expression in precisely timed peri-implantation biopsies from 9 normal fertile women and 16 recurrent miscarriage (RM) women. Immunocytochemistry was semi-quantified by obtaining an H-score value, which showed increased expression of both IL-11 and IL-11Ralpha in epithelial cells compared to stromal cells in all biopsies. There was a significant (P<0.01) reduction in epithelial cell IL-11, but not stromal cell IL-11, expression in endometrium from RM women compared to normal fertile women. There were no significant differences in expression of IL-11Ralpha protein in both stromal and epithelial cells in endometrium from the two groups of women. This work shows the presence of IL-11 and IL-11Ralpha within the endometrium of RM women during the peri-implantation period. The decreased expression of IL-11 in epithelial endometrium in RM women suggests that this cytokine may play a role in preventing miscarriage.
authors.affiliation: BMRC, Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Sheffield S1 1WB, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Linjawi
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Tuckerman
authors.forename: A I F
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Blakemore
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Laird
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D017370:Interleukin-11 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053703:Interleukin-11 Receptor alpha Subunit; D011247:Pregnancy; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053702:Receptors, Interleukin-11; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C508428:IL11RA protein, human; D017370:Interleukin-11; D053703:Interleukin-11 Receptor alpha Subunit; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053702:Receptors, Interleukin-11