Naz R K, Butler A, Witt B R, Barad D, Menge A C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461, USA.
J Reprod Immunol. 1995 Jul;29(2):105-17. doi: 10.1016/0165-0378(95)00936-f.
Concentrations of two immune cytokines, namely interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), were determined in the sera and cervical mucus samples of fertile (n = 16), idiopathic infertile (n = 44), and immunoinfertile women (n = 45) to investigate their role, if any, in female infertility. Sera of idiopathic infertile women demonstrated significantly (P < 0.0001) higher levels of INF-gamma compared to those in fertile controls, whether expressed as pg/ml or pg/mg serum protein. Similarly, sera of immunoinfertile women demonstrated significantly (P = 0.0008) higher levels of INF-gamma compared to fertile controls and idiopathic infertile women. Cervical mucus of idiopathic infertile women also demonstrated significantly (P < 0.0001) higher concentrations of INF-gamma compared to those in fertile controls. Cervical mucus of immunoinfertile women demonstrated significantly (P < 0.0001) higher concentrations of INF-gamma compared to those in fertile controls and idiopathic infertile women. INF-gamma levels in serum did not significantly (P > 0.05) correlate (r = 0.12-0.43) with the concentrations in cervical mucus, when all the three groups were compared together. However, when the serum levels were compared with the cervical mucus concentrations by condition, only the idiopathic infertile group showed a significant (P = 0.005) correlation (r = 0.70). Serum levels of TNF-alpha did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among three groups of women. Cervical mucus concentrations of TNF-alpha, however, varied among groups with levels being significantly (P = 0.04) higher-in idiopathic infertile women compared with fertile controls and in immunoinfertile women significantly (P = 0.0007) higher than in fertile controls as well as idiopathic infertile women. TNF-alpha levels in serum correlated (r = 0.65) significantly (P < 0.001) with the concentrations in cervical mucus when all the three groups were compared together or individually by infertility condition. These findings suggest the involvement of cytokines in infertility, and thus may have potential applications in diagnosis and treatment of female infertility.
检测了16名可育女性、44名特发性不孕女性和45名免疫性不孕女性血清及宫颈黏液样本中两种免疫细胞因子，即γ干扰素（INF-γ）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）的浓度，以研究它们在女性不孕中是否发挥作用。无论以pg/ml还是pg/mg血清蛋白表示，特发性不孕女性血清中的INF-γ水平均显著高于可育对照女性（P<0.0001）。同样，免疫性不孕女性血清中的INF-γ水平显著高于可育对照女性和特发性不孕女性（P=0.0008）。特发性不孕女性的宫颈黏液中INF-γ浓度也显著高于可育对照女性（P<0.0001）。免疫性不孕女性的宫颈黏液中INF-γ浓度显著高于可育对照女性和特发性不孕女性（P<0.0001）。当将三组女性一起比较时，血清中INF-γ水平与宫颈黏液浓度无显著相关性（P>0.05，r=0.12-0.43）。然而，按情况将血清水平与宫颈黏液浓度进行比较时，仅特发性不孕组显示出显著相关性（P=0.005，r=0.70）。三组女性血清中TNF-α水平无显著差异（P>0.05）。然而，宫颈黏液中TNF-α浓度在各组间存在差异，特发性不孕女性的水平显著高于可育对照女性（P=0.04），免疫性不孕女性的水平显著高于可育对照女性及特发性不孕女性（P=0.0007）。当将三组女性一起比较或按不孕情况分别比较时，血清中TNF-α水平与宫颈黏液浓度显著相关（r=0.65，P<0.001）。这些发现提示细胞因子与不孕有关，因此可能在女性不孕的诊断和治疗中有潜在应用价值。
