Neutrophil activation in pregnancy-induced hypertension.
Human neutrophil elastase may be a major mediator of vascular damage and could contribute to the vascular damage seen in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Elevated plasma levels of this substance will reflect neutrophil activation in vivo. To determine neutrophil activation in PIH, we studied 30 normal non-pregnant women, 32 women with normal pregnancies, 19 with mild/moderate PIH and 16 with severe PIH between 28 and 39 weeks gestation. Plasma neutrophil elastase was measured by radioimmunoassay. There was a significantly higher concentration of plasma neutrophil elastase in both mild/moderate and severe PIH than in normotensive pregnancies and this may contribute to the vascular lesion associated with PIH. Concentrations were also significantly higher in normal pregnancy than in non-pregnant women which suggests that neutrophil activation and degranulation are increased in normal pregnancy.
University Department of Obstetrics, Centre for Reproductive Biology, Edinburgh.
I A
IA
Greer
N G
NG
Haddad
J
J
Dawes
F D
FD
Johnstone
A A
AA
Calder
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000201:enzymology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology*; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000201:enzymology*
D010196:Pancreatic Elastase