Cytokine levels in midtrimester amniotic fluid in normal pregnancy and in the prediction of pre-eclampsia.
Midtrimester amniotic fluid cytokines may reflect the function of the maternal immune system in the maternal-fetal interface and thus be predictive of pre-eclampsia. We determined the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-11, IL-12, IL-15, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta in amniotic fluid at 14-16 weeks of gestation from women with normal pregnancies and from those who subsequently developed severe pre-eclampsia. The concentrations of the cytokines in amniotic fluid did not significantly differ between patients and normal controls. The median concentration of IL-6 was 950 pg/ml in normal pregnant women and 578 pg/ml in the patient group. The median concentration of IL-8 was 606 pg/ml in normal controls and 294 pg/ml in the patient group. The levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-beta correlated positively with each other. TNF-alpha concentrations were low and similar in both groups. IL-10 and IL-12 were detected at very low levels in 37 and 7% of the samples, respectively. No difference was found in IL-15 concentrations between the groups. IL-11 was found only at low levels in both groups. Although none of the cytokines measured was predictive of pre-eclampsia, this study provides information of cytokines in amniotic fluid during the period when the spiral arteries are remodelled.
Heikkinen
J
J
Turku Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Medical Microbiology, Turku University, Kiinamyllynkatu 13, FIN-20520 Turku, Finland. jenni.heikkinen@utu.fi
Möttönen
M
M
Pulkki
K
K
Lassila
O
O
Alanen
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D019409:Interleukin-15 / Q000378:metabolism; D007378:Interleukins / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D019409:Interleukin-15; D007378:Interleukins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12