Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 in gestational tissues and maternal serum in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancy.

Macrophage inhibitory cytokine-1 (MIC-1), a divergent member of transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, has been recently shown to be produced by the human placenta with detectable levels in maternal serum. In this study, using immunohistochemistry, we have localized MIC-1 in placenta, decidua and foetal membranes across pregnancy and, using an enzyme-linked immunoassay, measured MIC-1 in maternal serum in normal pregnancy, in association with labour and pre-eclampsia. In the placenta MIC-1 was principally localized to the syncytiotrophoblast while in the foetal membranes MIC-1 was present in the amniotic epithelium, chorionic trophoblasts and adherent decidual cells. There were no differences in MIC-1 staining distribution or intensity in the placentae between women in labour and not in labour, or between healthy and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. MIC-1 staining in the foetal membranes was slightly stronger after a labour and delivery compared to those delivered by elective Caesarean section. MIC-1 levels in the maternal serum increased with advancing gestation but there were no significant differences in maternal serum levels associated with either labour or pre-eclampsia.These observations would be consistent with MIC-1 having roles at the maternal-foetal interface, perhaps in the establishment and/or maintenance of pregnancy. Our data argue against MIC-1 having a significant role in the regulation of labour or in the pathophysiology of pre-eclampsia.