The relationship of systemic TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma with IVF treatment outcome and peripheral blood NK cells.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the association of serum tumour necrotic factor (TNF)-alpha and interferon (IFN)-gamma levels with IVF treatment outcome and peripheral blood NK cells. METHODS: Prospective observational study of 126 randomly selected women who underwent IVF treatment. The serum levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma were determined by multiplex suspension beads array system. RESULTS: There were no significant differences with regard to the systemic TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels between the pregnant (n = 51, TNF-alpha 53.5 pg/mL; IFN-gamma 4.6 pg/mL) and not pregnant (n = 75, TNF-alpha 63.0; IFN-gamma 7.5) women after IVF treatment. For those women with a positive pregnancy after IVF treatment, the systemic TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels were higher in those women who miscarried (n = 13, TNF-alpha 67.4; IFN-gamma 9.1) when compared with those who had a live birth (n = 38, TNF-alpha 48.7; IFN-gamma 1.4), however this difference was not statistically significant. Interestingly, the systemic TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma levels were significantly higher in women who had a higher level of activated (CD69(+)) NK cells (n = 39, TNF-alpha 86.8; IFN-gamma 4.7) when compared with women who had a low level of activated NK cells (n = 87, TNF-alpha 46.9; IFN-gamma 1.7 P = 0.028 and 0.045 respectively). CONCLUSION: The systemic levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma have no association with implantation rate or miscarriage rate in women undergoing IVF treatment. However, high levels of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma are associated with elevated levels of activated NK cells and this may subsequently exert a negative impact on reproduction.