title: Cytokine expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes indicates a switch to T(HELPER) cells in patients with preeclampsia.
abstract: We sought to determine whether cytokine expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells is altered in patients with preeclampsia and in patients with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Twenty-four patients with preeclampsia and twenty patients with a history of RSA were included into the study. Two control groups consisted of twenty healthy pregnant and twenty healthy non-pregnant women. The intracellular expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by flow cytometry as a measure of cytokine production. IL-2 synthesis was significantly elevated in the third trimester in preeclamptic patients in comparison with the control group. Non-pregnant women with RSA showed a significantly lower expression of IFN-gamma compared to the non-pregnant control group. Our data suggest an abnormal immune response in preeclamptic patients characterised by a shift to a predominantly Th1-type immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Cologne, 50924, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Rein
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schondorf
authors.forename: Uwe Jochen
authors.initials: UJ
authors.lastname: Gohring
authors.forename: Christian M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kurbacher
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breidenbach
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mallmann
authors.forename: Hannelore
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kolhagen
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines