Interleukin-1 system messenger ribonucleic acid and protein expression in human fallopian tube may be associated with ectopic pregnancy

Abstract

To investigate the interleukin-1 (IL-1) system mRNA and protein expression in human fallopian tubes with ectopic pregnancies. A controlled study. Clinical and academic research setting in a university medical center. Women undergoing salpingectomy for fallopian tube with ectopic pregnancy and women undergoing tubal ligation. Paired segments of human fallopian tubes containing an ectopic pregnancy and parafallopian tube segments adjacent to the ectopic pregnancy were collected from five women undergoing laparoscopic salpingectomy. Segments of fallopian tubes from four women undergoing tubal ligation were used as control tissues. Quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC-PCR) and immunohistochemistry were performed. The differences of IL-1 system mRNA and the ratio of IL-1beta to IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in both fallopian tubes with ectopic pregnancies and normal controls were analyzed. A complete IL-1 system mRNA and protein expression was identified in both fallopian tubes with ectopic pregnancies and normal controls. As QC-PCR demonstrated, IL-1beta mRNA expression was decreased, and IL-1ra and IL-1 receptor type 1 were increased in fallopian tubes with ectopic pregnancies in comparison with normal control tubes. In para-ectopic tubes, IL-1 receptor type 1 mRNA was statistically significantly increased in comparison with normal controls. There was a lower ratio of IL-1beta to IL-1ra at mRNA in fallopian tubes with ectopic pregnancies. These results suggest that an inappropriate ratio of IL-1beta to IL-1ra and a higher expression of its receptor in fallopian tubes may possibly be implicated to the implantation of an ectopic pregnancy in the oviduct.