Placental imbalance of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize the changes in the level of T helper 1 (Th1)- [interleukin (IL)-2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha] and Th2-type cytokine (IL-10) and the ratios of Th1/Th2 (IL-2/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-10) in placentae from women with preeclampsia and women with gestational hypertension.


METHODS
Placental levels of IL-2, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 were determined with radioimmunoassay and Th1/Th2 ratios (IL-2/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-10) calculated in the placentae from 22 women with preeclampsia, 15 women with gestational hypertension, and 32 normal term pregnant women.


RESULTS
Although preeclampsia had the trend of the increase in the placental levels of IL-2 and TNF-alpha and the trend of the decrease in placental IL-10, there were not significant difference in placental levels of IL-2, IL-10, and TNF-alpha among preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and normal pregnancy (P > 0.05 for all). Placental ratios of IL-2/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-10 were significantly higher in preeclampsia than in normal pregnancy (P = 0.035 and P = 0.005, respectively). No differences of Th1/Th2 ratios were found between preeclampsia and gestational hypertension and between gestational hypertension and normal pregnancy (P > 0.05 for all).


CONCLUSIONS
Alterations of placental balances of cytokines with Th1 predominance were demonstrated in preeclampsia. These associations may offer insights into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
Dong
Minyue
M
Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 2 Xueshi Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310006, China. mydong@mail.hz.zj.cn
He
Jing
J
Wang
Zhengping
Z
Xie
Xing
X
Wang
Hanzhi
H
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008423:Maternal Age; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011336:Probability; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines