title: Elevated circulating IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, and unaltered IL-6 in first-trimester pregnancies complicated by threatened abortion with an adverse outcome.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to examine the profile of selected proinflammatory cytokines in maternal serum of first-trimester pregnancies complicated by threatened abortion (TACP) and its relevance to obstetric outcome. Serum levels of Th1-type cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), and Th2-type cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) were measured, by ELISA, in 22 women with TACP and adverse outcome at admission (group A) and compared with the corresponding levels of 31 gestational age-matched women with TACP and successful outcome at admission (group B1) and discharge (group B2) and 22 gestational age-matched women with first-trimester uncomplicated pregnancy (group C) who served as controls. Mann-Whitney U or Wilcoxon test was applied as appropriate to compare differences between groups. IL-1beta and TNF-alpha were detected with significantly higher levels in group A, compared to all other groups. On the contrary, IL-6 levels were detected with no significant difference among all the other groups studied. It is concluded that in first-trimester TACP with adverse outcome, a distinct immune response, as reflected by elevated maternal IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and unaltered IL-6 levels, is relevant to a negative obstetric outcome.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, University of Athens, Aretaieion Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nicolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vitoratos
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Papadias
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Economou
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Makrakis
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Panoulis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Creatsas
mesh_terms: D000033:Abortion, Threatened / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha