Skip Navigation



Mol. Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on April 30, 2004
Molecular Human Reproduction, doi:10.1093/molehr/gah063
© 2004 by Oxford University Press
This Article
Right arrow Advance Access manuscript (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
10/7/489    most recent
gah063v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Li, H.Z.
Right arrow Articles by Gemzell-Danielsson, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Li, H.Z.
Right arrow Articles by Gemzell-Danielsson, K.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Received February 6, 2004
Accepted March 26, 2004

Article

Effect of mifepristone on the expression of cytokines in the human Fallopian tube

H.Z. Li 1, X. Sun 1, A. Stavreus-Evers 2, K. Gemzell-Danielsson 1*

1 Department of Woman and Child Health, Division for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
2 Department of Clinical Science, Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Karolinska Institutet, S-141 86 Stockholm, Sweden

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kristina.gemzell{at}kbh.ki.se.


  Abstract

Cytokines are believed to play a critical role as mediators between the oviduct and the developing embryo. A synchronous development of embryo and endometrium is essential to successful implantation. It seems to be beneficial for embryo development to rest for some time in the Fallopian tube. Expression of cytokines in the human Fallopian tube and the effect of mifepristone were investigated. Fourteen women with regular menstrual cycles and proven fertility, admitted to the hospital for tubal ligation, were randomly allocated to control or treatment groups. Mifepristone 200 mg was given on day LH+2. Surgery was performed on day LH+3 to LH+5. Biopsies were obtained from the ampullar and isthmic regions of the tubes. Expression of interleukin 8 (IL-8), tumour necrosis factor {alpha} (TNF{alpha}), transforming growth factor {beta} (TGF{beta}) and leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) was analysed using immunohistochemistry. All cytokines except IL-8 showed the same staining intensity both in the ampullar and isthmic region, while IL-8 was more pronounced in the ampullar region in both epithelial and stromal cells. Exposure to mifepristone made the spatial difference in IL-8 disappear and increased the expression of TNF{alpha} in the epithelium of the isthmus, but had no effect on the expression of TGF{beta}1 or LIF. Changes in cytokine expression in the Fallopian tube are likely to influence embryo development, which could contribute to the contraceptive effect of mifepristone.

Key Words: Keywords: contraception, cytokines, Fallopian tube, mifepristone


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Mol Hum ReprodHome page
K. Wanggren, P.G. Lalitkumar, F. Hambiliki, B. Stabi, K. Gemzell-Danielsson, and A. Stavreus-Evers
Leukaemia inhibitory factor receptor and gp130 in the human Fallopian tube and endometrium before and after mifepristone treatment and in the human preimplantation embryo
Mol. Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2007; 13(6): 391 - 397.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.