Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II and soluble cell adhesion molecule 1 as markers of tumor necrosis factor-alpha release in preeclampsia.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this case-controlled study was to investigate whether plasma concentrations of TNF-receptors I and II and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced cell adhesion molecule 1 VCAM-1 could serve as more sensitive markers of tumor necrosis factor-alpha release in preeclamptic women than a direct measurement of circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha.


METHODS
Plasma concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I and II, immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor-a and soluble cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 were determined in 21 patients with severe proteinuric preeclampsia (23-35 weeks' gestation) and 21 gestational age-matched normotensive controls by enzyme-linked immunoassays. Concentrations of bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha were assessed by the WEHI 164 bioassay. Data were statistically evaluated by Wilcoxon's rank sum and sign tests, and Spearman's test was used to evaluate clinical and biochemical correlations.


RESULTS
Bioactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha was detected in 19 of 21 preeclamptic and 18 of 21 normotensive women, with no difference in plasma concentrations between both groups. Immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha, soluble TNF-receptors and soluble cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 were significantly increased in plasma of preeclamptic patients, and a statistically significant positive correlation was observed between immunoreactive tumor necrosis factor-alpha and TNFRII. In preeclamptic patients a statistically significant negative correlation was observed between TNFRII and platelet count, and between soluble cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 and birthweight ratio.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that plasma concentrations of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor II and soluble cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 reflect the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and provide sensitive markers of excessive release of this cytokine in preeclampsia.
Visser
Wil
W
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Beckmann
Ilse
I
Knook
Marco A H
MA
Wallenburg
Henk C S
HC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood*; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood*; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1