Correlations between concentrations of interleukin-12 and interleukin-13 and lymphocyte subsets in the follicular fluid of women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective: To investigate a possible correlation between interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-13 levels and lymphocyte subsets in the preovulatory follicles of patients with and without polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Design: Controlled clinical study.

Setting: University hospital.

Patient(s): Seventy-eight infertile women undergoing IVF-embryo transfer.

Intervention(s): The subjects underwent blood sampling, ovum retrieval, and embryo transfer.

Main Outcome Measures: Follicular fluid levels of T, androstenedione (A); IL-12, IL-13, activated T cells, T helper, and T-suppressor lymphocytes.

Result(s): The level of IL-12 detected in follicular fluid (FF) was significantly lower in patients with PCOS than in normally ovulating women (mean: 1.47 +/- 0.3 pg/mL vs. 2.25 +/- 0.7 pg/mL, respectively); in contrast, FF IL-13 concentrations were significantly higher in the patients with PCOS than in the normally ovulating women (mean: 32.5 +/- 3.7 pg/mL vs. 19.6 +/- 2.5 pg/mL, respectively), as was the total number of activated T lymphocytes (11.5% +/- 1.5% vs. 4.8% +/- 0.4%). A significant correlation was observed between FF activated T-cell concentrations and FF IL-12, IL-13, T, and A levels. No significant differences were observed when these data were compared with embryological parameters.

Conclusion(s): The present study shows significant differences in the correlation between FF IL-12 and IL-13 levels and T lymphocyte numbers in the subset of patients with PCOS as compared to normally ovulating women.