[Imbalance of serum T helper 1- and 2-type cytokines in preeclampsia and gestational hypertension].
To investigate the changes in serum levels of Th1- (IL-2 and TNF-alpha) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-10) and the ratios of Th1/Th2 (IL-2/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-10) in preeclampsia and in gestational hypertension.



Levels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were determined with radioimmunoassay in serum samples from 22 women with preeclampsia, 15 women with gestational hypertension and 32 normal term pregnant women. The Th1/Th2 ratios were calculated accordingly.



There were no significant differences in serum levels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha (P>0.05 for all) among normal pregnancy, gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. The ratio of serum IL-2/IL-10 was significantly higher in preeclampsia than that in controls (P < 0.05), and the ratio of TNF-alpha/IL-10 significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia than that in either controls or gestational hypertension (P<0.025 for both).



Alterations of serum cytokine balance with predominance of Th1 immunity were observed in preeclampsia. These associations may offer insight into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
Dong
Min-yue
MY
The Affiliated Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China. mydong@mail.hz.zj.cn
Shi
Xiao-liang
XL
He
Jing
J
Wang
Zheng-ping
ZP
Xie
Xing
X
Wang
Han-zhi
HZ
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000097:blood*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10