title: Evaluation of nonspecific immunity and plasma levels of interferon-gamma, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in preeclampsia.
abstract: In this study we evaluated the maternal cell-mediated immune aspects of preeclampsia in terms of phagocytosis and killing of monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells. To evaluate the contribution of cytokines (Cks) in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, we investigated the plasma levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), respectively, by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data showed that phagocytic and killing activities of monocytes were depressed in preeclamptic and normal pregnancies. At the same time, IFN-gamma plasma levels were undectable in both groups. Conversely, we detected significant levels of TNF-alpha in plasma from preeclamptic and normal pregnancies. Moreover, since in three preeclamptic patients the onset of severe preeclampsia was associated with a sharp increased of TNF-alpha plasma levels, we suggest that an increased production of this CK may be implicated in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Immunology and Infectious Disease (MIDIM), University of Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Munno
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Chiechi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lacedra
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berardesca
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Patimo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marcuccio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nardelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loizzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D010587:Phagocytosis; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma