Tumor necrosis factor and pregnancy--a contribution to the immunology of reproduction.
Serum levels of the cytokine TNF (tumor necrosis factor) were determined in pregnant women during the first trimester and compared with levels in a control group of non-pregnant healthy women. A new immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) was used. In pregnant women we found a very low mean value of 2.5 pg/ml. The value was significantly higher 16.2 pg/ml in the non-pregnant group. This finding suggests suppression of macrophage activity which could favour the fetal allograft.
Voigt
H J
HJ
Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Erlangen, FRG.
Steib
L
L
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D015592:Immunoradiometric Assay / Q000379:methods; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha