Fig. 5.

Intra-amniotic IL-1α induced modest systemic fetal inflammation. Pregnant sheep were given 1 or 2 intra-amniotic injections of recombinant sheep IL-1α for intervals shown prior to delivery at 124 ± 1 days; controls received intra-amniotic saline (see symbols in Fig. 2 legend). A: serum amyloid A3 (SAA3) in fetal liver was measured using an RNase protection assay. Values were normalized to L32, a ribosomal protein mRNA. B and C: IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expression was measured using real-time PCR assays and TaqMan probes. Values were normalized to 18S rRNA. Mean mRNA signal in control animals was given the value of 1, and levels at each time point are expressed relative to controls. All assays used sheep-specific probes. D and E: plasma levels of haptoglobin and IL-8. *P < 0.05 vs. composite control group.