LOCALIZATION AND QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 IN HUMAN PLACENTA

The localization of IL-6 at light microscopic levels and its quantitat ive analysis in human placentas were studied by using immunohistochemi stry. Both syncytiotrophoblast and cytotrophoblast in placental villi, white blood cells in villose capillary cavity stromal cells and capil lary endothelium present IL-6 immunoreactivity in cytoplasm. Using a q uantitative immunohistochemical method, the amounts of IL-6 in placent a were low at the 6th week of gestation, increased saliently and peake d at the 7th, then reduced gradually during the rest of the gestation period and maintained the same level as that in the 6th week of gestat ion. This changing trend was paralleled with that of GnRH in our previ ous studies. These results revealed that IL-6 could be produced by the human placenta and may take part in the regulation of placental hormo ne releasing.