Imbalance of T-cell transcription factors contributes to the Th1 type immunity predominant in pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
Extensive studies have demonstrated that Th1 type immunity is predominant in pre-eclampsia, but there is little concern with regard to the intracellular mechanisms behind this initial T-cell polarization. In this study, we investigated whether the imbalance of the T-cell transcription factors contributes to it.


METHODS
A total of 15 pre-eclamptic patients and 15 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in this study. The expression levels of transcription factors for Th1 (T-bet), Th2 (GATA3), Th17 (RORc) and Treg (FOXP3) cells, together with the Th1/Th2 status, were simultaneously investigated in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and decidua.


RESULTS
The expression levels of FOXP3 mRNA were decreased in both PBMCs and decidua from pre-eclamptic patients compared with healthy pregnant women (P < 0.05), and T-bet mRNA and RORc mRNA were significantly increased (P < 0.05), while Th1/Th2 balance shifted toward the Th1 immunity. Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between FOXP3 mRNA and Th1 cells (P < 0.05), and the expression level of T-bet mRNA correlated strongly with Th1 cells (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Decreased expression of FOXP3 mRNA and increased expression of T-bet mRNA may contribute to Th1 type immunity predominant in pre-eclampsia.
Jianjun
Zhou
Z
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China.
Yali
Hu
H
Zhiqun
Wang
W
Mingming
Zheng
Z
Xia
Zhao
Z
D000328:Adult; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012015:Reference Standards; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; D012333:RNA, Messenger