Placental Dysfunction and Acute Toxoplasmosis: The Role of Melatonin in Relation to Inflammatory Cytokines Interleukin-10 and Interleukin-12

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to elucidate the potential role of anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-10 and pro-inflammatory (IL-12) cytokines as well as melatonin (MEL) in the development of placental dysfunction in the pregnant women with acquired toxoplasmosis (TOX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case–control study was carried out at the Department of Clinical Parasitology in teamwork with the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad, Iraq, from September 2018 to February 2019. The recruited patients and healthy controls were allocated into two groups – Group A: pregnant women with acute TOX (n = 45) and Group B: healthy pregnant women (n = 25). Anti-Toxoplasma (Toxo) immunoglobulin M (IgM), serum and placental as well as serum–placental (SP) ratio of MEL, IL-10, and IL-12 were measured. SPSS version 20.00 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Anti-Toxo IgM serum level and IL-12 serum levels were higher compared with controls (P = 0.001). Both MEL and IL-10 serum levels were lower in the pregnant women with acute TOX compared with controls (P = 0.002 and P = 0.002), respectively. Besides, Both MEL and IL-10 placental levels were lower in the pregnant women with acute TOX compared with controls (P = 0.001). As well, placental IL-12 level was higher in the pregnant women with acute TOX compared with controls (P = 0.001). SP ratio of MEL was higher in the pregnant women with acute TOX compared with controls (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: MEL and anti-inflammatory IL-10 are reduced in the pregnant women with acute TOX, while IL-12 is increased. SP ratio of MEL but not of IL-10 or IL-12 is elevated in the pregnant women with acute TOX reflecting the risk of PD.