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Updated: Jun 12, 2026
Multiplexed Fluorescent Immunohistochemical Staining of Four Endometrial Immune Cell Types in Recurrent Miscarriage
Published on: August 4, 2021
Placental interleukin-15 expression in recurrent miscarriage
Bettina Toth1, Thomas Haufe, Christoph Scholz
1Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Fertility Disorders, Ruprechts-Karls University, Heidelberg, Germany. Bettina.toth@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Problem:
Cytokines play a fundamental role at the feto-maternal interface. A dysregulation of the cytokine profile could be linked with fetal rejection. This study investigated differences in the expression of the Th1 cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) of normal and disturbed pregnancy.
Method Of Study:
Analysis of IL-15 expression by immunohistochemistry and real-time RT-PCR in placental tissue from normal pregnancies, spontaneous miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage (RM) was performed.
Results:
Expression of IL-15 was upregulated on mRNA and protein level in the placenta of miscarriage patients, especially in patients with RM. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence double staining revealed extravillous trophoblast cells (EVT) as IL-15-expressing cells. Staining results were confirmed by real-time PCR (TaqMan).
Conclusion:
Increased expression of IL-15 in the decidua of patients with RM may be linked to disturbed implantation and vascularization with consecutive placental and fetal rejection.
