Abstract
The regulatory signals responsible for the increased biosynthesis of prostaglandins during parturition have not been established. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is capable of stimulating prostaglandin production by intrauterine tissues and is an inflammation mediator. It has been postulated as a signal for the onset of labor in the setting of intrauterine infection. A study was designed to determine if spontaneous labor at term was associated with changes in IL-1 activity in amniotic fluid. Such fluid was retrieved from 41 women in labor and from 39 women who were not in labor at term. Immunodetectable IL-1β was present in 22 of the 41 women in labor but in only 8 of the 39 women without labor. IL-1-like bioactivity was not different between the two groups at a dilution of 1:4, but at dilutions of 1:12, 1:36 and 1:108, amniotic fluid from women in labor had significantly higher bioactivity than that from women not in labor. A significant correlation was found between the bioassay and immunoassay results. Our data show that inhibitors of IL-1 bioactivity are present in amniotic fluid and suggest that in a subset of laboring women at term, an inflammatory reaction may play a role in triggering the onset of parturition.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 235-238 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Journal of Reproductive Medicine |
Volume | 35 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - 1 Jan 1990 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Reproductive Medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynecology