LEVELS OF KEY CYTOKINES, MACROGLOBULINS AND THEIR SPECIFIC IMMUNE COMPLEXES IN BLOOD SERA OF WOMEN TAKING COMBINED ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

Abstract

Abstract. We investigated effects of combined oral contraceptives (COC) containing low- and microdoses of estrogenic components upon serum levels of macroglobulin family proteins (alpha-2-macroglobulin, α2-MG, and pregnancy-associated alpha-2-glycoprotein, α2-PAG), their immune complexes with IgG, as well as concentrations of some cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα, IFNγ). It was shown that cytokine levels did not differ with control, whereas α2-MG concentrations showed a time-dependent decrease in a group of women taking COC with microdoses of estrogens, and α2-PAG levels increased tenfold, independent on dosage and time of COC application. Meanwhile, contents of PAG-IgG complexes exhibits a gradual decrease, along with increase in MG-IgG. Considering PAG as a marker of normal and malignant proliferation, we suggest, that the levels of α2-PAG may be useful in monitoring of women taking COC, in order to predict high risk of pathological proliferation by evaluation of individuals with elevated α2-PAG levels. (Med. Immunol., 2011, vol. 13, N 6, pp 635-638)

Keywords

• combined oral contraceptives
• malignant proliferation risk
• alpha-2-macroglobulin
• pregnancy-associated alpha-2-glycoprotein
• cytokines
• immune complexes