The role of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor types I and II and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in malaria during pregnancy.
In a prospective study of rhesus monkeys inoculated with Plasmodium coatneyi or saline on an infection/gestational timeline, we determined the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type I (sTNFR-I), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type II (sTNFR-II) in peripheral blood throughout primigravid pregnancy, malaria infection, and a combination of the two. Our goal was to determine the association between levels of TNF-alpha and of its 2 soluble receptors and the course of pregnancy and/or malaria and infant outcome. We found that any detectable level of TNF-alpha was always associated with fetal death and that the sTNFRs may be important for fetal protection, possibly through neutralizing the toxic effects of TNF-alpha. Our findings also showed that increased levels of sTNFR-II were associated specifically with malaria and not with normal pregnancy or even pregnancy with low birth weight due to other causes. In contrast, increases in sTNFR-I levels during the later half of normal pregnancies indicate that sTNFR-I may be important in regulating TNF-alpha levels in preparation for normal labor and delivery.
Davison
Billie B
BB
Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana 70433, USA. bdaviso@tulane.edu
Kaack
M Bernice
MB
Rogers
Linda B
LB
Rasmussen
Kelsi K
KK
Rasmussen
Terri A
TA
Henson
Elizabeth W
EW
Henson
Michael C
MC
Parekh
Falgunee K
FK
Krogstad
Donald J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000469:parasitology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008288:Malaria / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010961:Plasmodium / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*
D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D047889:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type II; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha