Increased plasma adenosine concentrations and the severity of preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between changes in plasma adenosine and the severity of preeclampsia, and norepinephrine and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations.


METHODS
Plasma concentrations of adenosine, norepinephrine, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha relating to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia were measured in women with mild (n = 21) and severe (n = 21) preeclampsia and normal pregnancies (n = 21), matched for age, gestational age, and parity, in the third trimester of pregnancy. We then evaluated the relationships among plasma adenosine, norepinephrine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations, and the severity of preeclampsia.


RESULTS
Mean plasma adenosine, norepinephrine, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations were significantly higher in women with mild and severe preeclampsia than in normal control subjects (P <.05). In women with preeclampsia, plasma adenosine concentrations increased according to the severity of preeclampsia (0.60 +/- 0.03 micromol/L and 0.72 +/- 0.03 micromol/L, respectively, versus 0.41 +/- 0.03 micromol/L for normal subjects), which correlated with increases of norepinephrine and tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations (r =.58, P <.05; r =.49, P <.05, respectively). In preeclampsia, norepinephrine concentration also correlated with maternal blood pressure (r =.50, P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Adenosine is an established suppressor of the effects of norepinephrine and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The increased plasma concentrations of adenosine in preeclampsia might serve to counteract further progression of the complication.
Yoneyama
Yoshio
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. yoshi-1@nms.ac.jp
Suzuki
Shunji
S
Sawa
Rintaro
R
Yoneyama
Koichi
K
Power
Gordon G
GG
Araki
Tsutomu
T
D000241:Adenosine / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D015415:Biomarkers; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000241:Adenosine; D009638:Norepinephrine