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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on April 22, 2004
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Human Reproduction, Vol. 19, No. 6, 1357-1363, June 2004
© 2004 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Maternal serum levels of interferon-{gamma} and interleukin-2 soluble receptor-{alpha} predict the outcome of early IVF pregnancies

S.J. Fasouliotis1, S.D. Spandorfer1,2, S.S. Witkin1, G. Schattman1, H.C. Liu1, J.E. Roberts1 and Z. Rosenwaks1

1 Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA

2 To whom correspondence should be addressed. e-mail: sdspando{at}med.cornell.edu)

BACKGROUND: Elevated maternal serum levels of interleukin-2 soluble receptor-{alpha} (IL-2 sR{alpha}), tumour necrosis factor-{alpha} (TNF-{alpha}) and interferon-{gamma} (IFN-{gamma}) have been associated with pregnancy loss. The aim of our study was to evaluate the predictive value of these cytokines in the outcome of early IVF pregnancies. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-nine consecutive IVF patients who were subsequently diagnosed to have a biochemical pregnancy (n = 23), a first-trimester miscarriage (n = 19) or a normal term delivery (n = 117) were included in this study. Serum was collected from the initial pregnancy test, 11 days after a day 3 embryo transfer, and all samples were analysed for IL-2 sR{alpha}, TNF-{alpha} and IFN-{gamma} by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. RESULTS: IL-2 sR{alpha} levels were significantly higher in patients with an early pregnancy loss compared with patients with a normal term delivery (849.5 ± 69.6 versus 693.5 ± 31.2 pg/ml, P = 0.02), and a cut-off point of IL-2 sR{alpha} >1000 pg/ml predicted a poor pregnancy outcome (44.4 versus 22.7% pregnancy loss, IL-2 sR{alpha} ≥1000 versus IL-2 sR{alpha} <1000 pg/ml; P = 0.02). IFN-{gamma}-positive patients had twice the risk for poor IVF pregnancy outcome compared with IFN-{gamma}-negative subjects (40.8 versus 20.0%, respectively; P < 0.02), including a significantly lower implantation rate (37.6 ± 0.05 versus 50.0 ± 0.03%, respectively; P = 0.02). There was no difference in pregnancy outcome based upon serum levels, or the ability to detect the presence of TNF-{alpha}. No differences in levels of these cytokines were found based on the aetiology of the patients’ infertility. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated maternal serum levels of IL-2 sR{alpha} and IFN-{gamma} as early as 11 days after embryo transfer are associated with poor IVF pregnancy outcome.

Key words: IFN-{gamma}/IL-2 sR{alpha}/IVF/pregnancy outcome/TNF-{alpha}


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