Ciprofloxacin affects pregnancy loss in CBA/JxDBA/2J mice possibly via elevation of interleukin-3 and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor production

PROBLEM: The mechanisms mediating pregnancy loss are far from being underst ood, but it is believed that modulation of the maternal immune system, that is known to support pregnancy, might serve as a means for the treatment of habitual abortions. Thus, we examined the effect of the anti bacterial age nt ciprofloxacin, which was shown to affect maternal immunoreactivity, on p regnancy loss in the resorption-prone CBA/JxDBA/2J mouse combination as wel l as associated changes in Interleukin (IL)-3 and Granulocyte macrophage-co lony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production. METHOD OF STUDY: CBA/J females mated to DBA/2J males were treated with cipr ofloxacin for 5 consecutive days. On day 15 of pregnancy, the number of res orbed embryos was recorded and IL-3 mRNA expression as well as IL-3 and GM- CSF protein production by splenocytes were assayed by northern blotting and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: Ciprofloxacin treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the resorption rate as compared to the effect of the control antibiotic ceftaz idime or PBS only, while not affecting the number of implantation sites/mou se. Also, splenocytes from ciprofloxacin-treated CBA/J mice exhibited an in creased level of IL-3 mRNA transcripts as well as an elevation in IL-3 and GM-CSF protein production. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate the ability of ciprofloxacin to reduce pr egnancy loss in the CBA/JxDBA/2J mouse model, possibly via elevation of IL- 3 and GM-CSF production.