Purpose: The aim of our study is to elucidate whether human oocytes/embryos secrete IFN gamma and/or IL-10 and whether the fertilization process depends on the balance between these cytokines.
Methods: A total of 142 embryo culture media from 24 patients were collected and the cytokine levels were tested with ELISA.
Results: IFN gamma and IL-10 were detectable in 40.1% and 29.6% of culture media respectively. The difference of IFN gamma and IL-10 levels in media from fertilized oocytes between day 1 and day 2 are significant (0.46 vs. 1.47 and 34.2 vs. 12.7, respectively). However there was no significant difference between the IFN gamma levels of the media from fertilized and nonfertilized oocytes 0.46 vs. 0.85 at day 1 and 1.47 vs 1.49 at day 2, as well as IL-10 levels 34.2 vs. 30.9 at day 1 and 12.7 vs. 9.58 at day 2 respectively.
Conclusions: Human preimplantation embryos secrete the cytokines IFN gamma and IL-10. No effect of these cytokines on fertilization process could be shown.