Inflammatory cytokine interleukin-18 prevents murine miscarriage by inducing appropriate inflammation.

ABSTRACT: IL-18 is a unique cytokine that exerts both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects depending on the surrounding environments. Excessive inflammation in the feto-maternal interface is thought to result in the onset of miscarriage and preterm birth, but much is unknown about the function of IL-18 in pregnancy. Here, we report the protective role of IL-18 in pregnancy using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine miscarriage models. Whereas a low dose (1 µg) of LPS injection in pregnant mice did not induce miscarriages, the additional injection of anti-IL-18 neutralizing antibody (IL-18 nAb) resulted in a significant increase in abortion rates among the pregnant mice. Under these conditions, multiple T-cell subsets and natural killer cells produced significantly lower levels of the type 1 cytokin

SUBMITTER: Horii Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12371019 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature