Interleukin-12 secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells is decreased in normal pregnant subjects and increased in preeclamptic patients.
OBJECTIVE
It has been reported that T-helper (Th) 2 dominance in normal pregnancy shifts to Th1 dominance in preeclampsia. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) production of interleukin (IL)-12, which induce Th1 responses, has not been compared between these clinical states.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell from 35 non-pregnant women, 35 healthy pregnant women, 12 mildly preeclamptic patients, and 15 severely preeclamptic patients were cultured for 24 hr. IL-12 secretion was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Th1/Th2 ratios in PBMC were determined flow-cytometrically, and the amounts of HLA-DR and CD14 expression on the monocytes were obtained by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell from healthy pregnant subjects secreted less IL-12 than non-pregnant women. PBMC from severely preeclamptic patients secreted more IL-12 than those from healthy pregnant subjects, while IL-12 secretion in mild preeclampsia resembled secretion in normal pregnancy. Th1/Th2 ratios correlated were positively with IL-12. Increased HLA-DR antigens and reduced CD14 expression, suggesting monocyte activation, were observed in preeclamptic patients, although monocyte counts were unchanged.


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased IL-12 secretion by PBMC may cause Th2 dominance in normal pregnancy, while increased IL-12 secretion by activated monocytes may cause Th1 dominance in preeclampsia.
Sakai
Masatoshi
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sugitani Toyama-shi, Toyama, Japan.
Tsuda
Hiroshi
H
Tanebe
Kyoko
K
Sasaki
Yasushi
Y
Saito
Shigeru
S
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000378:metabolism
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D018664:Interleukin-12