Determination of IL-1 and IL-6 Levels in Human Embryo Culture-Conditioned Media

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6 in 24-hour human embryo culture-conditioned media (HECCM) and to find any embryo-related factor(s) to predict pregnancy during IVF procedure. METHOD: IL-1β and IL-6 levels were measured in 36 samples of HECCM and 17 cell culture media that had not been exposed to embryos, which were used as controls. Both cytokine levels were measured by the ELISA technique, using commercially available kits. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We found an average IL-1β level ± SEM of 82 ± 4 pg/ ml (n=11) in HECCM from viable pregnancies and a significantly lower value, 14 ± 2 pg/ ml (n=25, P<0,001), in HECCM from embryos that did not lead to viable pregnancies. In control media the average IL-1β level was 11 ± 1 pg/ml (n=17), (P <0.001 vs. HECCM from viable pregnancies). In contrast IL-6 levels were undetectable in all samples analyzed. Judging by our results we suggest that measurement of IL-1 level in HECCM could be a useful parameter for predicting implantation in techniques of assisted reproduction.     

Effects of DDPH on HECCM-induced Proliferation and Immunophenotypes of the Pulmonary Vascular Pericytes

Muscularization of non- muscular arterioles of in-tra- acinar pulmonary arteries is an important mor-phological feature of pulmonary vascular structuralremodeling ( PVSR ) during the development ofchronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension[1] .In Chi-na,to explore the cell origin of muscularization ofnon- muscular arterioles,the cell culture of pul-monary vascular pericytes was firstestablished at ourlaboratory[2 ] .Resentstudiesin vitro[3] suggested thathypoxic endothelium cell conditioned medi…