INTERLEUKIN-8 INDUCES CERVICAL RIPENING IN RABBITS

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether cervical ripening can be induced in rabbits by interleukin-8. STUDY DESIGN: No npregnant and pregnant rabbits were treated for 5 days with vaginal su ppositories containing 100 ng of interleukin-8. Collagen and glycosami noglycan concentration in the cervices were assessed histologically by picrosirius red and alcian blue, and the mean optical density was cal culated. The mean neutrophil count in five random fields was calculate d from each biopsy specimen. RESULTS: Interleukin-8 induced softening and dilatation of the rabbit cervices. Water content was significantly increased (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Cervical collagen concentration was found to be significantly decreased (p < 0.0004 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Glycosaminoglycan concentration was signif icantly increased in nonpregnant and pregnant cervices (p < 0.0009 and p < 0.1, respectively). The mean number of neutrophils was significan tly increased (p < 0.0005 and p < 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSION: In terleukin-8 can induce cervical ripening in nonpregnant and pregnant r abbits.