Preeclampsia is associated with a reduced interleukin-10 production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate and compare in vitro, immune cell production of the immunosuppresor cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) between normal pregnancy (NP) and preeclampsia.


METHODS
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from age-matched patients with preeclampsia and women with a NP (n=3/group) and cultured for 48 hr in the absence and presence of the mitogen phytohaemagluttanin (PHA, 1/100). The concentration of IL-10 and TNF-alpha in the culture medium (CM) was measured by ELISA.


RESULTS
Stimulated PBMCs associated with preeclampsia had significantly less IL-10 in the CM compared to NP (347+/-39, preeclampsia vs. 689+/-128, NP; p<0.05) but no difference in TNF-alpha. There was no significant difference in IL-10 or TNF-alpha concentration in the CM of unstimulated PBMCs between preeclampsia and NP.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that under in vitro stimulated conditions preeclampsia is associated with an abnormality characterized by a diminished ability of peripheral immune cells to produce the immunosupressor cytokine interleukin-10.
Orange
Stefan
S
Department of Renal Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia. sora1136@mail.usyd.edu.au
Horvath
John
J
Hennessy
Annemarie
A
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10