Immunology: Serum markers of immune activation in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

We evaluated serum concentrations of two early and sensitivemarkers of immune activation, interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R)and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in two age-matchedgroups of in-vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer women,group I (n = 26) without and group II (n = 40) with methylprednisolone(MPD) supplementation of the luteal phase, on the days of oocyteretrieval (sample A) and embryo transfer (B), and second (C)and 13th (D) days post-transfer and in 20 normally cycling women(controls) on the day of luteinizing hormone (LH) peak. No differencein the outcome of the IVF-embryo transfer was observed betweengroups I and II. In sample A, both immunomarker concentrationsshowed no significant difference between the two groups of IVFwomen, while they were significantly higher (P < 0.01) thanvalues in controls. In cycles in which conception occurred,significantly higher immunomarker concentrations were observedin sample A of both groups I and II compared with those in unsuccessfulcycles of the same group. A significant decrease of both sIL-2Rand ICAM-1 was noticed in sample B only in group II (P <0.0001 and P < 0.001 respectively; paired t-test) that continuedfurther in the late luteal phase only hi the case of conception,independently of MPD supplementation. These data suggest that(i) due to multiple ovulations, IVF-embryo transfer women showelevated concentrations of sIL-2R and ICAM-1 at oocyte retrieval;(ii) since, even at oocyte retrieval stage, high concentrationsof immunomarkers are associated with IVF-embryo transfer success,sEL-2R and ICAM-1 could be used as early indicators for conceptioncycles; (iii) transient suppression of T cell activity by MPDsupplementation following IVF-embryo transfer does not improvepregnancy rate.