Plasma granulysin concentrations and preeclampsia risk.
OBJECTIVE
Epidemiological, clinical and histological data suggest intriguing similarities between preeclampsia and graft-host-rejection. Granulysin, a novel biomarker of overall cellular immunity, is secreted by natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which are associated with graft-host-rejection. Plasma granulysin was elevated in Japanese preeclamptic women.


METHODS
50 preeclampsia cases and 50 normotensive controls (USA) were studied. Plasma granulysin at delivery was determined using enzyme immunoassay. Logistic regression procedures were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).


RESULTS
Granulysin were elevated in preeclampsia cases compared with controls (3.01+/-0.18 vs. 2.22+/-0.14 ng/mL, p<0.01). After adjusting for age, body-mass-index and race, women with higher granulysin concentrations (> or =1.89 ng/mL) experienced a 2.9-fold (95%CI 1.1-7.8) increased preeclampsia risk compared with women with lower granulysin (<1.89 ng/mL).


CONCLUSIONS
These data offer further evidence of a predominant Th1 immune status associated with preeclampsia. Prospective studies are needed to determine whether granulysin is elevated early in pregnancy.
Qiu
Chunfang
C
Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. Chung-Fang.Qiu@Swedish.org
Saito
Shigeru
S
Sakai
Masatoshi
M
Ogawa
Kazuyuki
K
Nagata
Kinya
K
Williams
Michelle A
MA
D000328:Adult; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000097:blood*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; C075005:GNLY protein, human