IMMUNO-ENDOCRINE INTERACTIONS IN EARLY-PREGNANCY

First we recall briefly the status of inflammatory cytokines in the ea rly implantation period, We then describe the status of leukaemia inhi biting factor (LIF) production in an in-vitro, relatively short-term, human decidual explant culture system. We show that in most infertile women with recurrent implantation failure following successful in-vitr o fertilization, LIF production is statistically much lower than norma l, Other parameters of LIF production in vitro are summarized briefly, and the effects of RU486 are shown. The T(H)2 status of normal pregna ncy is described, together with the production of T(H)2 cytokines by d ecidua and placenta, These cytokines are deficient in the CBAxDBA/2 mo del of murine spontaneous early pregnancy loss, The defect can be corr ected by alloimmunization, and more importantly by the injection of ta u interferon, The significance of these data for early pregnancy signa lling is discussed.