title: Cytokine secretion by decidual lymphocytes in transient hypertension of pregnancy and pre-eclampsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transient hypertension (TH) and preeclampsia (PE) are believed to have different pathophysiology. However, 15-25% of pregnant women initially diagnosed as having TH develop PE. To clarify the immuno-pathogenetical connections between the two syndromes, we studied the pattern of T helper cell (Th)1/Th2 cytokine balance disturbances existing inside maternal decidua in normal pregnancy (NP) and pregnancies complicated with TH and PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Third-trimester decidual tissue was obtained by curettage of uterine cavity during elective caesarean sections in NP (n = 11), TH (n = 17) and PE (n = 21) patients. Cell suspensions were prepared by an electromechanical dispersal method and centrifugated using a standard gradient sedimentation technique. Isolated lymphocytes were placed in medium (RPMI 1640, 10% fetal calf serum, L-glutamine, penicillin, streptomycin) and cultured for 72 h with or without mitogen phytohaemaglutinine (PHA). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was used for estimation of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in culture supernatant.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Kruskal-Wallis and the Mann-Whitney U tests were used (p < 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both spontaneous and PHA-stimulated secretion of Th2-type cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 was decreased in PE patients compared with TH and NP patients. The concentration of Th1-type cytokine IFN-gamma was increased in patients suffering both from TH and PE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  On the base of decidual cytokine secretion, both PE and TH are syndromes of local Th1/Th2 cytokine balance disturbances as compared with NP, and TH seems to be an intermediate step to PE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Basic Sciences, Military Medical Academy, Lodz, Poland. jrwil@post.pl
authors.forename: Jacek R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wilczyński
authors.forename: Henryk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tchórzewski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Głowacka
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banasik
authors.forename: Przemyslaw
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lewkowicz
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zeman
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilczyński
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000276:immunology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines