Derya Deveci

Plasma IL-17, IL-35, interferon-γ, SOCS3 and TGF-β levels in pregnant women with preeclampsia, and their relation with severity of disease

Abstract Objective: To research the hypothesis of preeclampsia (PE) is associated with increased systemic inflammatory responses of Th1-type as well as decreased Th2-type responses; we evaluated the maternal plasma levels of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, IL-35 and SOCS3 in preeclamptic and healthy pregnants. Methods: This study was conducted with 40 preeclamptic (study group) and 40 normotensive pregnant (control) women in third trimester when they were admitted to the labor and delivery unit. The extracted maternal plasma samples were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 16.0 version. Results: While IFN-gamma and TGF-beta levels of preeclamptic women were significantly higher (p < 0.01), IL-35 and IL-17 levels of preeclamptic women were significantly lower (p < 0.01) than those of controls. The ratios of IFN-gamma/IL-10, IFN-gamma/IL-6, IFN-gamma/IL-4 were significantly high and ratio of IL-35/IL-17 was significantly low in the PE group compared to those in the control group. Maternal plasma SOCS3 levels showed negative correlation with blood pressure and proteinuria severity, but none of the cytokines showed influence on blood pressure and proteinuria after adjusting for maternal and gestational age. Conclusions: Increased IFN-gamma/TGF-beta production and reduced IL-35/IL-17/SOCS3 production in preeclamptic women may lead to less cytokine inhibitory activity in PE, which may account for the increased proteinuria and blood pressure in PE.

What is the impact of Th1/Th2 ratio, SOCS3, IL17, and IL35 levels in unexplained infertility?

Implantation necessitates complex interactions among the developing embryo, decidualizing endometrium, and developing maternal immune tolerance and/or alterations in cellular and humoral immune responses. Overstimulation of T helper 1 (Th1) or Th2 cytokines in systemic and local environments, alterations of the prevalence of IL17 and regulatory T cell (Treg) cytokines have also been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of implantation failure. We aimed to investigate the plasma levels of IL4, IL6, IL10, TNFα, IFNγ, TGFβ, IL17, IL35, and SOCS3 in infertile and fertile women. This case-control study was conducted with 80 women suffering from unexplained infertility and 40 fertile women. Peripheral venous blood samples were drawn on day 21 of the menstrual cycle. The extracted plasma samples were assayed by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16.0. Our main findings were as follows: despite the significantly high IL17 and IL35 plasma levels of infertile women, IL35/IL17 ratio was significantly lower in the infertile group compared with that in the fertile group; SOCS3 plasma levels showed an inverse relation with plasma levels of all cytokines except IL35; increased plasma IL17 levels (>3.42 pg/mL) have a negative impact on fertility; TNFα/IL10, IFNγ/IL10, IFNγ/IL6, and IFNγ/IL4 ratios were significantly higher in infertile group compared with those in the fertile group. It is not possible to show the major immunological factor(s) of unexplained infertility, but our findings point out that the decreased suppressor activity of the immune system may play a role in implantation failure.

What is the impact of SOCS3, IL-35 and IL17 in immune pathogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss?

Abstract Objective: To investigate the plasma levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), IL-17, IL-35 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in the women with history of idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and in the fertile controls. Methods: This study was conducted with 60 idiopathic RPL cases and 40 age-matched fertile controls. Mid-follicular plasma levels of IL-17, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, SOCS3 and IL-35 were assayed by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The mean age of RPL and control cases were 31.6 ± 0.6 and 32.1 ± 0.7 years, respectively. While plasma IL-35 and SOCS3 levels of RPL group were significantly lower than that of the control group; IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and TGF-beta levels of RPL group were significantly higher than that of the control group. The comparison of cytokine ratios between RPL and control groups indicated significantly high TNF-alpha/IL-10, TNF-alpha/IL-4, IFN-gamma/IL-10, IFN-gamma/IL-6 and IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratios in the RPL group. IL-35/IL-17 ratio was significantly low in the RPL group compared to that in the control group. Overstimulation of TNF-alpha presented moderate influence on recurrent miscarriage risk. Conclusion: Decreased SOCS3 and IL-35 plasma levels and increased Th1/Th2 cytokine ratios in RPL cases pointed out the supression of anti-inflammatory process and this supression might play an important role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic RPL.

Is there any relation between IL-6 gene -174 G>C polymorphism and postmenopausal osteoporosis?

OBJECTIVE IL-6 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported to have a protective effect against bone resorption. We aimed to investigate the association between bone mineral density and IL-6 promoter region -174 G>C SNP. STUDY DESIGN This study included 356 postmenopausal Turkish women, of whom 201 were osteoporotic (lumbar spine T score<-2.5 SD) and 155 non-osteoporotic (lumbar spine T score>-1.5 SD). Bone mineral density (BMD) measures were obtained using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. SNP of the IL-6 gene (-174 G>C) was examined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS The frequencies of the variant C allele (24% vs. 30%, p=0.074) and mutant CC genotype (12% vs. 20%, p=0.094) were higher in non-osteoporotic women. Lumbar spine and total hip BMD values were lowest among women with the G/G genotype, intermediate in the heterozygotes, and highest in women with the C/C genotype. The GG (p=0.022) and GC (p=0.037) genotypes were covariates which approached statistical significance in the regression model fitting of BMD. CONCLUSION IL-6 promoter region SNP showed an association with BMD in this postmenopausal Turkish population and these data suggest that the wild GG genotype influences the phenotype.

Our clinical experience about prenatal diagnosis and neonatal outcomes of fetal central nervous system anomalies.

Objective. To present a retrospective analysis of the prenatal diagnosis and the outcome of fetuses diagnosed with central nervous system (CNS) anomalies. Materials and methods. We reviewed the medical records and ultrasound data of 69 cases diagnosed with CNS anomalies from 2007 to 2008. We described the prenatal diagnosis, associated findings, and outcome of these patients. Results. Sixty-nine patients were diagnosed with CNS anomalies. Of these, 31 had ventriculomegaly + hydrocephaly, 14 had spina bifida + meningomyelosel, 5 had choroid plexus cyst, 5 had Dandy Walker malformation, 3 had sacrocoxigeal teratoma, 2 had encephalosel, 1 had microcephaly, and 1 had Arnold Chiari malformation. Eight amniocentesis, three cord blood sampling, and two fetal reduction procedure were performed. Nine pregnancy termination and 36 delivery were performed. Neurosurgical correction was performed for neonates with spina bifida, hydrocephaly and sacrocoxigeal teratoma. Twenty-one neonates were discharged with cure, 4 neonates with follow-up, 7 neonates with paraplegia, and 13 neonates died. Conclusion. The outcome of fetuses with CNS anomalies was shown to depend mainly on the degree of neural tube defect and the associated anomalies were the most important factors in surviving.

Evaluation of vitamin C and vitamin E for prevention of postoperative adhesion: A rat uterine horn model study

To investigate the effectiveness of intraperitoneal vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE) in the prevention of postoperative adhesion formation in a rat uterine horn model.

Is there any Association between Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Sclerostin Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Turkish Women

Objectives: Evaluation of the probable association between bone mineral density (BMD) and SOST gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in postmenopausal Turkish women. Methods: This prospective, casecontrol study was carried out with 204 postmenopausal Turkish women. The population was divided into 2 groups with respect to their lumbar spine T score as follows: 126 osteoporotic women with T score lower than -2.5 SD (OP group) and 78 nonosteoporotic women with T score higher than -1 SD (NOP group). Genotyping of 4 SNPs was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: There was no considerable difference between groups for parameters of age, menopausal period, weight and height. Interestingly we observed 100% homozygote wild GG genotype for rs17885799 G>A polymorphism and 100% homozygous mutant AA genotype for rs851054 G>A polymorphism among whole study population. The frequency of homozygote mutant TT geneotype of rs865429 C>T polymorphism in NOP and OP groups were 78.2% and 73.8% respectively. The frequency of homozygote wild GG genotype of rs17886183 G>A polymorphism in NOP and OP groups were 96.2% and 94.4% respectively. There was no considerable difference between groups for frequencies of all genotypes and alleles of these 4 SNPs. rs865429 C>T polymorphism showed influence on only femoral neck BMD (OR=0.7, 95% CI: 0.866 – 1.846, p=0.000). And only height showed influence on femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD. Conclusion: The association between femoral neck BMD and SOST rs865429 C>T polymorphism may open new insights on pharmacogenetic studies of osteoporosis.