The relationships between leptin and inflammatory cytokines in women with pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To compare maternal serum leptin concentration in women with pre-eclampsia and women with normal pregnancy, and to evaluate the relationships between leptin and several inflammatory cytokines.


METHODS
Prospective clinical study.


METHODS
University Hospital of Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain.


METHODS
Twenty-seven women with pre-eclampsia and 25 normotensive pregnant women.


METHODS
Maternal serum levels of TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, interleukin 6, and leptin were measured using a commercially available immunoassay.


METHODS
Maternal serum levels of leptin and its relationship to levels of TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1 and interleukin 6.


RESULTS
Maternal serum leptin levels were higher in women with pre-eclampsia, but this difference was of borderline statistical significance (median 15.9 ng/mL; interquartile range (5.4-31.9) vs 30.5 ng/mL (13.9-64) (P = 0.05). The concentration of maternal serum leptin was correlated with pre-gestational and gestational body mass index (r = 0.45, P = 0.03; r = 0.44, P = 0.04), TNF-alpha concentration (r = 0.57, P = 0.002) and interleukin-6 level (r = 0.46, P = 0.02) in women with normal pregnancy. In women with pre-eclampsia, only a significant correlation between maternal serum leptin level and TNF-alpha concentration (0.47, P = 0.01) was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The level of maternal serum leptin is increased and correlates positively with the level of TNF-alpha in women with pre-eclampsia. In women with a normal pregnancy leptin levels not only correlate with TNF-alpha, but also with IL-6 and body mass index.
Bartha
J L
JL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University Hospital of Puerto Real, Spain.
Romero-Carmona
R
R
Escobar-Llompart
M
M
Comino-Delgado
R
R
D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000097:blood; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D020738:Leptin; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha