IL-6 as a regulatory factor of the humoral response during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Regulatory factors seem to be essential to achieve transition from implantation window to placental vascularization. A novel function of interleukin (IL)-6 in the promotion of Th2 differentiation and inhibition of Th1 polarization has been demonstrated. Considering that Th2 response promotes antibody synthesis, we postulate that IL-6 could be modulating the quality of this response during pregnancy by increasing the proportion of blocking asymmetric antibodies.


METHODS
We investigated expression of blocking-asymmetric-IgG during pregnancy of CBA/J x DBA/2 abortion model treated with IL-6, with regards to CBA/J x BALB/c. We also determined asymmetric-IgG production in IL-6-deficient pregnant mice.


RESULTS
We found that IL-6 treatment increased asymmetric-IgG in multiparous placentas from abortion combination whereas diminished abortion rate. Moreover, asymmetric-IgG proportion was diminished in sera from IL-6-deficient pregnant mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Modulation of asymmetric antibody synthesis could be another mechanism implicated in the beneficial effect of IL-6 in prevention of murine recurrent abortion.
Dubinsky
Valeria
V
Immunology, IDEHU, CONICET/UBA, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Junovich
Gisela
G
Gentile
Teresa
T
Gutiérrez
Gabriela
G
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015850:Interleukin-6; D011994:Recombinant Proteins