title: Second-trimester IL-15 and IL-18 levels in the amniotic fluid of fetuses with normal karyotypes and with chromosome abnormalities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about the behavior of interleukin 15 (IL-15) and 18 (IL-18) in the amniotic fluid in the second trimester of gestations complicated by chromosomal defects in the fetus. Likewise, it has not yet been established whether a fetus with chromosome abnormalities creates its immunity mechanisms in the same way as a fetus with a normal karyotype.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this work was to assess the concentration of IL-15 and IL-18 in the amniotic fluid in the second trimester of gestation in fetuses with normal karyotypes and with chromosome abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The material consisted of 51 samples of amniotic fluid obtained from genetic amniocenteses carried out between the 15th and the 19th weeks of gestation. On the basis of cytogenetic screening, two groups were singled out: Group I--45 fetuses with normal karyotypes, and Group II--6 fetuses with abnormal karyotypes. The concentrations of IL-15 and IL-18 in the amniotic fluid were assessed with ready-made assays and analyzed, and the results from both groups were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences between the IL-15 levels in the amniotic fluid from Groups I and II proved to be statistically insignificant (p = 0.054). However, the average IL-18 levels in the amniotic fluid of the fetuses with normal karyotypes were significantly higher than in the amniotic fluid of the fetuses with chromosome abnormalities (p = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some defense mechanisms in the second trimester of gestation in fetuses with chromosome abnormalities may develop in a different way than in fetuses with normal karyotypes.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wrocław, Poland. nikablok@o2.pl
authors.forename: Dominika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klimkiewicz-Blok
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Florjański
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zalewski
authors.forename: Radosław
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blok
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000649:Amniocentesis; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000032:analysis*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000032:analysis*; D007621:Karyotyping; D011044:Poland; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019409:Interleukin-15; D020382:Interleukin-18