Comparison of serum levels of IL-10 and IL-11 and mRNA expression of IL-10, IL-11, COX-2, BCL6, and ZEB Family in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of women with polycystic ovary syndrome and healthy individuals.

BACKGROUND: The roles of IL-10, IL-11, COX-2, BCL6, ZEB1, and ZEB2 genes in the potential correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), inflammation, and cancer remain controversial. AIMS: This study aimed to compare serum levels of IL-10 and IL-11 and gene expression of IL-10, IL-11, COX-2, BCL6, ZEB1, and ZEB2 in PBMCs of women with PCOS and healthy controls. METHODS: A case-control study included 40 women with PCOS as the case group and 40 healthy women as controls. Group matching for age and BMI was performed. Serum levels of IL-10 and IL-11 were assessed using ELISA, while gene expression was measured using real-time PCR. Parameters were compared between groups, and correlations among gene expression and serum levels were explored. RESULTS: In comparison to healthy women, women with PCOS exhibited a significant decrease in the expression of COX-2 and IL-10 genes (p<0.001), alongside a significant increase in ZEB2 gene expression (p<0.001). There were no significant differences observed in the expression of IL-11, BCL6, and ZEB1 genes. Furthermore, the serum level of IL-10 was significantly lower in women with PCOS compared to the control group (p<0.001), while no significant difference was found in IL-11 levels. Additionally, no significant correlations were identified between gene expression and serum levels. CONCLUSION: In women with PCOS, reduced IL-10 gene expression may indicate inflammation and serve as a diagnostic biomarker. However, conflicting findings on COX-2 expression complicate understanding. Elevated ZEB2 expression in PCOS women may lead to infertility, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and aggressive phenotypes.

Role of maternal interleukin-8 (IL-8) in normal-term birth in the human.

Cytokines are the main factors involved in the normal functions of the placenta and delivery process. The aim of this project was to compare serum levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-6, tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) in term and prolonged-pregnancy mothers and their neonates. This study was performed on 240 participants including 60 term and prolonged-pregnancy neonates and their corresponding mothers. Serum levels of IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α and TGF-ß were evaluated by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The results revealed that IL-8 serum levels were significantly lower in the prolonged-pregnancy mothers and their neonates when compared with term mothers and their neonates. Data analysis also revealed a negative correlation between TGF-ß and age of prolonged-pregnancy mothers. A poor positive correlation between IL-6 and head circumference of term neonates was also observed. IL-8 may play crucial roles in the process of on-time delivery and age may significantly affect TGF-ß production in prolonged-pregnancy mothers. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, can also be considered as main factors involved in fetal growth.

On the relation of oxidative stress in delivery mode in pregnant women; a toxicological concern.

The objective was to investigate the effect two modes of labor (vaginal delivery and elective cesarean section) on thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) as markers of lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant power (ferric reducing ability, TAP), and total thiol molecules (TTM) in blood of mothers and their newborns. One hundred and twenty women with normal pregnancy and normal blood biochemical parameters were divided into groups of vaginal delivery (VD) and elective cesarean surgery (ECS). Blood samples were obtained firstly in the time 37-40 weeks of pregnancy and secondly during labor phase for VD or during ECS. Blood samples from umbilical cord arterial of newborns were also obtained at birth after separation of cord. Plasma levels of TBARS, TAP, and TTM were determined. There was no significant differences between VD and ECS mothers before labor in plasma levels of TBARS, TTM, and TAP. Mothers in the VD group showed a significant increase in TBARS (p < 0.05) after delivery. And TTM level showed a significant increase in ECS group (p < 0.05) as compared to pre-delivery levels. Comparing oxidative stress variables between VD and ECS groups after labor, plasma levels of TBARS, and TTM significantly increased (p < 0.05) in VD mothers. TAP was not significantly different between VD and ECS groups. Newborn of VD mothers showed a significant increase in TBARS (p < 0.05), and TAP (p < 0.05) as compared to newborn of ECS. TTM was not significantly different between two groups of newborns. The results indicate that mothers in VD and their newborns are in more oxidative stress than those who underwent ECS for delivery. Linking oxidative stress to severe neonatal diseases, it may be reasonable to assess whether antioxidant supplementation during pregnancy may reduce the frequency of neonatal diseases.