Abstract
ABSTRACT: Amniotic fluid samples were obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis from 20 women in preterm labor (≤34 wk gestation). Concentrations of IL-6 in culture-positive amniotic fluids (mean 8706 pg/mL, range 5100–14 446 pg/mL) were higher than those in culture-negative fluids (mean 1133 pg/mL, range ≤5–6534 pg/mL, p < 0.0001) or fluids from healthy term pregnancies (mean 196 pg/mL, range ≤5–790 pg/mL, p < 0.001). To assess possible sources of the IL-6 in amniotic fluid, we tested the ability of a variety of fetal and maternal cells to produce IL-6 in vitro after stimulation with IL-1, a cytokine known to stimulate IL-6 production. Very low concentrations of IL-6 were present in supernatants of cells not stimulated with IL-1; however, high concentrations were observed in supernatants of stimulated umbilical venous endothelial cells, decidual cells, and fetal and maternal blood mono-nuclear cells. To determine whether cells from adults produce IL-6 with kinetics similar to those of neonates, we incubated mononuclear cells obtained from blood of adults and term and preterm neonates with IL-1. After 6 h, IL-6 was detected in supernatants of adult cells and term neonatal cells, but not in supernatants of preterm cells. Concentrations at 18, 24, and 48 h were similar for adult and term cell supernatants, but were lower in supernatants of preterm cells. We also observed considerably more IL-6 mRNA accumulation in circulating mononuclear cells from adults than in those from neonates.
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Liechty, K., Koenig, J., Mitchell, M. et al. Production of Interleukin-6 by Fetal and Maternal Cells in Vivo during Intraamniotic Infection and in Vitro after Stimulation with Interleukin-1. Pediatr Res 29, 1–4 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199101000-00001
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199101000-00001
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