A Salmassi1,2, A Fattahi3, M Nouri4, J Hedderich5, A G Schmutzler6. 1. Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. asalmassi@email.uni-kiel.de. 2. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women's Hospital, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-University, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105, Kiel, Germany. asalmassi@email.uni-kiel.de. 3. Women's Reproductive Health Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 4. Department of Reproductive Biology, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 5. Institute of Medical Informatics and Statistics, University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany. 6. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women's Hospital, University Hospitals Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-University, Campus Kiel, Arnold-Heller Str. 3, House 24, 24105, Kiel, Germany.
Abstract
PURPOSE: There is no information available about the IL-18 receptor in ovarian follicles, so the present study attempts to demonstrate the expression of IL-18 and its receptor in human granulosa cells (GCs). METHODS: To evaluate the concentration of IL-18 in serum and follicular fluid (FF), we collected serum and FF from 102 women undergoing oocyte retrieval. Also, to detect expression of IL-18 and its receptor by luteinized GCs, these cells were pooled six times from a total of twenty individual patients with 5-16 follicles each. The IL-18 concentration was determined by ELISA and the expression of IL-18 and its receptor by immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Our results showed that the median IL-18 concentration in serum, 159.27 pg/ml (IQR 121.41-210.1), was significantly higher than in FF, 142.1 pg/ml (IQR 95.7-176.5), p < 0.001. Moreover, we found that IL-18 and its receptor are expressed by GCs. CONCLUSION: The presence of IL-18 in FF and the expression of IL-18 and its receptor by GCs suggest an important role for this cytokine in ovarian function.
PURPOSE: There is no information available about the IL-18 receptor in ovarian follicles, so the present study attempts to demonstrate the expression of IL-18 and its receptor in human granulosa cells (GCs). METHODS: To evaluate the concentration of IL-18 in serum and follicular fluid (FF), we collected serum and FF from 102 women undergoing oocyte retrieval. Also, to detect expression of IL-18 and its receptor by luteinized GCs, these cells were pooled six times from a total of twenty individual patients with 5-16 follicles each. The IL-18 concentration was determined by ELISA and the expression of IL-18 and its receptor by immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Our results showed that the median IL-18 concentration in serum, 159.27 pg/ml (IQR 121.41-210.1), was significantly higher than in FF, 142.1 pg/ml (IQR 95.7-176.5), p < 0.001. Moreover, we found that IL-18 and its receptor are expressed by GCs. CONCLUSION: The presence of IL-18 in FF and the expression of IL-18 and its receptor by GCs suggest an important role for this cytokine in ovarian function.
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Authors: Ali Salmassi; Andreas G Schmutzler; Lili Huang; Jürgen Hedderich; Walter Jonat; Liselotte Mettler Journal: Fertil Steril Date: 2004-03 Impact factor: 7.329