title: Endotoxin-induced cytokine production of monocytes of third-trimester pregnant women compared with women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about the function of the innate immune response during pregnancy. We therefore investigated monocyte cytokine production, as a measure of monocyte function, in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole blood of women in the follicular phase (day 5-6) and of healthy pregnant women (30 weeks) was collected and stimulated with endotoxin (2 microg/mL). After incubation for 4 hours (37 degrees C, 5% carbon dioxide), red blood cells were lysed and white blood cells were permeabilized, followed by staining with anti-CD14 (fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled) and with phycoerythrin-labeled tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, or interleukin-12. The cells were analyzed by flow cytometry after fixation. Results are expressed as a percentage cytokine producing cells after endotoxin stimulation. Statistical analysis was performed with the Mann-Whitney U test (P <.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the percentage endotoxin-induced cytokine producing peripheral monocytes in women in the follicular phase, this percentage in pregnancy was decreased for interleukin-12 (mean 6.63 +/- 1.34 vs 3.34 +/- 0.87, P <.05) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (mean 50.20 +/- 5.80 vs 31.29 +/- 5.57, P >.05). No significant difference was seen in the production of interleukin-1beta (mean 58.22 +/- 11.09 vs 47.18 +/- 7.88, P >.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percentage of interleukin-12 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha producing monocytes is decreased in pregnant women compared with nonpregnant women, suggesting that pregnancy is a proinflammatory state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands. veenstravannieuwenhoven@freeler.nl
authors.forename: Angelique L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Veenstra van Nieuwenhoven
authors.forename: Annechien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bouman
authors.forename: Henk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moes
authors.forename: Maas Jan
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.forename: Loe F M H
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: de Leij
authors.forename: Job
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santema
authors.forename: Marijke M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Faas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004731:Endotoxins; D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12