Cytokine profiles in peripheral, placental and cord blood in pregnant women from an area endemic for Plasmodium falciparum.
During gestation, inflammatory cytokines are sometimes more abundant than growth-promoting cytokines, and via direct or indirect effects, proinflammatory cytokines lead to intrauterine growth retardation. We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the concentrations of three proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-12 (IL-12p40), as well as interleukin-15 (IL-15) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), in plasma from peripheral, placental and cord blood of thirty pregnant Gabonese women. All of these women lived in Libreville and Lambaréné, two malaria hyperendemic areas. IL-12p40 concentrations were higher in cord blood than in placental or peripheral blood. The MCP-1 concentration was higher in placental blood, than in peripheral or cord blood. IL-15 concentrations were similar at the three sites. MCP-1 concentrations were higher in the placentas of primiparous women than in those of multiparous women. The highest concentrations were found in infected placentas. IL-15 concentrations were significantly higher in peripheral and placental plasma from uninfected women than in plasma from infected women. Strong positive correlations were found between placental and cord IL-12p40 and IL-15 plasma concentrations. Likewise, a strong positive correlation was found between IL-12p40 and MCP-1 concentrations in cord and peripheral plasma. These results suggest that placental, maternal peripheral and cord blood present different cytokine profiles in response to P. falciparum.
Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Marielle K
MK
Bouyou-Akotet
Maryvonne
M
Kombila
Peter G
PG
Kremsner
Elie
E
Mavoungou
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D016207:Cytokines