Effect of IL-1 in amniotic fluid on the fetal keratinocyte

IL-1 alpha is predominantly increased in amniotic fluid of the patients with premature rupture of the membrane (PROM). In the present study we examined the effect of IL-1 on the fetal keratinocytes, one of the main tissue exposed to the increased IL-1. Exposure of IL-1 at over 0.1 pg/ml IL-1 significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited proliferation of the keratinocytes in low calcium keratinocyte growth medium obtained from the umbilical cord. Immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies to various cytokeratins revealed that the umbilical cord keratinocytes is more similar to the mucosal epithelium than the skin epithelium. These results suggest that IL-1 alpha increased in amniotic fluid in the PROM cases leads the immature proliferating mucosal epithelium to maturate for protection of the fetus against environment.