Plasma Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) Concentrations at the Different Phases of the Oestrus Cycle in Clomiphene Treated Female Rats

Summary: Interleukin - 1β (IL-1β) is a signal molecule known for its role in inflammation and immune response. However, there are reports on the possible effects of IL-1β in ovulation and various aspects on female reproduction. It was therefore necessary to determine plasma IL-1β levels in female rats administered ovulation inducing agent clomiphene citrate. In this work, a total of forty (40) female wistar rats weighing between 150g and 225g were used. Twenty of the rats were administered 0.14mg/kg clomiphene citrate orally daily for five days while the other twenty which served as control, received normal saline. The phases of the oestrus cycle (proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus) were determined between the hours of 8.30am and 10.00am on the sixth day prior to collection of blood sample by cardiac puncture. The plasma IL-1β concentrations were determined using rat IL-1β ELISA kits. From the experiment, 41.2% of the control rats were in the diestrus phase while 42.1% of the clomiphene citrate treated rats were in the estrus phase. The IL-1β plasma concentrations were higher in clomiphene treated rats at all the phases of the oestrus cycle of experimental rats when compared with the control. The increase in plasma IL-1β was significant (p˂0.05) in the estrus phase of the clomiphene citrate treated rats (550.53pg/ml) when compared with the control (304.42pg/ml). The high plasma concentration of IL-1β at the estrus phase of clomiphene citrate treated rats suggests its possible involvement in oocyte maturation and ovulation which characterizes the phase.