Anat Cell Biol.  2013 Sep;46(3):177-182. 10.5115/acb.2013.46.3.177.

The expression of IL-6Ralpha and Gp130 in fallopian tubes bearing an ectopic pregnancy

• Yousefian
• Novin MG
• Fathabadi
• Farahani R
• Kachouei E

• KMID: 2263143
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5115/acb.2013.46.3.177

Abstract

Women with tubal ectopic pregnancies have high levels of circulating interleukin 6 (IL-6). IL-6 treatment in vitro significantly reduces the ciliary activity of tubal epithelium. The effects of IL-6 on target cells occur via the formation of a high-affinity complex with its receptors IL-6Ralpha and glycoprotein 130 (Gp130). IL-6Ralpha is specifically expressed in the cilia of the epithelial cells. In this study, we performed a quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to determine the mRNA expression of IL-6Ralpha and Gp130 in the fallopian tubes obtained from 12 women with ectopic pregnancies, 12 women with normal pregnancies, and 12 healthy nonpregnant women in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. Fallopian tubes were evaluated from specimens taken during tubal ligation in normal pregnancies and nonpregnant fertile women or during tubal surgery in ectopic pregnancies. We observed that IL-6Ralpha mRNA expression in fallopian tubes was increased in ectopic pregnancy compared with that in the midluteal phase. We also found that the Gp130 mRNA expression was significantly lower in fallopian tubes from ectopic pregnancies than in those from nonpregnant women during the midluteal phase of their menstrual cycle, although its expression was noticeably high in fallopian tubes in the midluteal phase, which suggests that high Gp130 levels may possibly contribute to embryo transport into the uterus.

Keyword

Interleukin-6 receptor alpha; Gp130; Ectopic pregnancy; Fallopian tubes

MeSH Terms

Cilia
Embryonic Structures
Epithelial Cells
Epithelium
Fallopian Tubes
Female
Glycoproteins
Humans
Interleukin-6
Luteal Phase
Menstrual Cycle
Pregnancy
Pregnancy, Ectopic
Receptors, Interleukin-6
Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
RNA, Messenger
Sterilization, Tubal
Ursidae
Uterus
Glycoproteins
Interleukin-6
RNA, Messenger
Receptors, Interleukin-6

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with IL-6Rα (251 base pairs), Gp130 (326 base pairs), and GAPDH (98 base pairs) primers and electrophoresis on 1.5% agarose gel. IL-6Rα, interleukin 6 receptor α; Gp130, glycoprotein 130; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphatedehydrogenase.

• 

  Fig. 2 Interleukin 6 receptor α (IL-6Rα) expression in the fallopian tube. IL-6Rα mRNA expression was higher in the fallopian tubes of women with ectopic pregnancies than in the fallopian tubes of the nonpregnant women in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle (control group). Expression of IL-6Rα mRNA was lower in the fallopian tubes of women with ectopic pregnancies than in the fallopian tubes of normal pregnant women, but this difference was not significant (P>0.05). *indicates a significant difference from the control group (P<0.05).

• 

  Fig. 3 Glycoprotein 130 (Gp130) expression in the fallopian tube. Expression of Gp130 mRNA was lower in the fallopian tubes of women with ectopic pregnancies than in the fallopian tubes of nonpregnant woman in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle (control group). Expression of Gp130 mRNA was higher in the women with ectopic pregnancies than in normal pregnant women, although this difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). *indicates a significant difference from the control group (P<0.05).

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