Circulating bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptors, fibronectin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha inducible cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 in uncomplicated pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to assess in a longitudinal study of uncomplicated pregnancy the course of maternal plasma concentrations of the bioactive cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha, the soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptors sTNFRI and sTNFRII, the soluble cell adhesion molecule sVCAM-1, and circulating fibronectin.


METHODS
Blood was collected from 22 healthy pregnant women at 7 to 17, 18 to 22, 23 to 28, and 30 to 36 weeks' gestation and post partum. Plasma samples were measured by bioassay for bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha, by immunoassay for sTNFRI, sTNFRII, and VCAM-1, and by radial immunodiffusion for circulating fibronectin, and data were statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
Plasma concentrations of all variables were significantly linked with gestational age. Levels of bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha and sTNFRII showed a parallel rise in the second trimester and a decrease thereafter. Values for sTNFRI and sTNFRII and for these receptors and VCAM-1 were correlated, a weak correlation between bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha and sTNFRII was observed, and no correlation between circulating fibronectin and other variables was apparent.


CONCLUSIONS
All variables studied exhibited a characteristic pattern depending on gestational age, which supports the concept of a physiologic role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in pregnancy.
Beckmann
I
I
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Visser
W
W
Struijk
P C
PC
van Dooren
M
M
Glavimans
J
J
Wallenburg
H C
HC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
D005353:Fibronectins; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1