title: Elevated serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-1β and human chorionic gonadotropin in pre-eclampsia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific syndrome of unknown aetiology. It is believed to involve an inflammatory process. The aim of the study was to investigate and compare the concentrations of two proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and to evaluate the possible interaction between them and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in women with normotensive pregnancy and PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective case-control study was carried out in 30 women with PE and 30 normotensive controls. Serum IL-1β, IL-6 and hCG levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and automated immunofluorescent assay, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum IL-6, IL-1β and hCG levels were significantly increased in women with PE compared to controls (P < 0.001 for each); however, no correlation was found between IL-6, IL-1β and hCG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results highlight the inflammatory origin of PE and reinforce the possible role of hCG in the complex aetiology of its pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Papageorgiou General Hospital, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Michail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalinderis
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papanikolaou
authors.forename: Kallirhoe
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalinderi
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ioannidou
authors.forename: Charalambos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giannoulis
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
authors.forename: Basil C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Tarlatzis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6