title: Vitamin D and Inflammatory Cytokines in Healthy and Preeclamptic Pregnancies.
abstract: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy disease characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. Among several disorders, the imbalance of inflammatory cytokines and the alteration of vitamin D metabolism have been reported in preeclampsia. The effects of calcitriol upon inflammatory cytokines has been demonstrated. In healthy pregnant women there is a shift toward a Th2 cytokine profile, which is necessary for an adequate pregnancy outcome. As compared with normal pregnancy, high pro-inflammatory and low anti-inflammatory cytokine levels have been observed in preeclamptic women. Preeclampsia has been associated with low calcitriol levels and vitamin D deficiency is correlated with a higher risk of the development of this disease. It has been demonstrated that placenta is a source as well as the target of calcitriol and cytokines and placental dysfunction has been associated with preeclampsia. Therefore, the present manuscript includes a review about serum calcitriol levels in non-pregnant, pregnant, and preeclamptic women as well as a review on the fetoplacental vitamin D metabolism in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies. In addition, circulating and fetoplacental inflammatory cytokines in healthy and preeclamptic pregnancies are reviewed. Finally, the effects of calcitriol upon placental pro-inflammatory cytokines are also explored. In conclusion, maternal and placental calcitriol levels are low in preeclampsia which may explain, at least in part, high pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Tlalpan, México D.F. 14000, México. barrera1912@gmail.com.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Tlalpan, México D.F. 14000, México. lorenzadiaz@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Tlalpan, México D.F. 14000, México. biolirio_12@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Noyola-Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Biology, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Tlalpan, México D.F. 14000, México. ali.halhalib@quetzal.innsz.mx.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halhali
mesh_terms: D002117:Calcitriol / Q000097:blood*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010920:Placenta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D002117:Calcitriol
keywords: inflammatory cytokines; preeclampsia; pregnancy; vitamin D