T helper 1- and T helper 2-type cytokine imbalance in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to investigate T helper 1/T helper 2 balance in pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
18 patients with pre-eclampsia and 20 healthy pregnant women were included in the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were stimulated with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) for 48 h. Cytokine: interleukin-2 (11-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (I1-10) concentrations in culture supernatants were determined using the ELISA method. Statistical analysis was performed using a standard non-parametric Mann-Whitney U-test.


RESULTS
We found that in pre-eclamptic patients PHA-stimulated 11-2 and IFN-y production was significantly higher (P<0.001) and I1-10 production significantly lower (P<0.005) in comparison with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
These results could suggest that there is Th1/Th2 imbalance in pre-eclamptic patients with predominant Th1-type immunity.
Darmochwal-Kolarz
D
D
Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, University School of Medicine, Lublin, Poland. dorotak@mp.pl
Leszczynska-Gorzelak
B
B
Rolinski
J
J
Oleszczuk
J
J
D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D016207:Cytokines; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma