title: The Expression of T-Helper Associated Transcription Factors and Cytokine Genes in Pre-Eclampsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pre-eclampsia (PE) is known as a main factor contributing to fetomaternal mortality, which might affect 2-8% of all pregnancies after the twentieth week of gestation. The balance of T helper subsets is essential to sustain a normal pregnancy and preventing fetomaternal complications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate differences in the levels of transcription factors and cytokine gene expression of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg subsets within decidual and chorionic layers of placentas from 15 PE-afflicted and 15 healthy Iranian women in their third trimester of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using Quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR), the expression of T-BET, GATA-3, ROR-ɣt, FOXP3, and cytokines, including IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-31, IL-17, IL-23, TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and IL-35 in the placenta were compared at mRNA levels between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FOXP3 and GATA-3 were significantly down-regulated, while T-BET was up-regulated in PE deciduae compared to the control group (p<0.0001, p<0.02, and p<0.01, respectively). Concerning the chorionic samples, FOXP3 significantly decreased, while ROR-γt increased in the PE placentas compared to the healthy ones (p<0.0006 and p<0.02, respectively). Besides, most inflammatory cytokines were up-regulated, while anti-inflammatory cytokines were down-regulated in the PE placentas. Additionally, TNF-α/IL-35, IFN-ɣ/IL-35, IL-6/IL-35, and IL-23/IL-35 ratios were significantly higher (p<0.01) and IL-35/IL-17 ratio was significantly lower (p<0.05) in the pre-eclamptic patients compared to the healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results shed more light on the contribution of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg balance within placenta in the fate of a normal pregnancy. Moreover, regulatory T cells and IL-35 seem to play a notable role in pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Behrouz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gharesi-Fard
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mobasher-Nejad
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nasri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D014157:Transcription Factors