Imbalance of serum T helper 1- and 2-type cytokines in preeclampsia and gestational hypertension.
- Author:
Min-yue DONG
1
;
Xiao-liang SHI
;
Jing HE
;
Zheng-ping WANG
;
Xing XIE
;
Han-zhi WANG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adult; Female; Humans; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced; blood; Interleukin-10; blood; Interleukin-2; blood; Pre-Eclampsia; blood; Pregnancy; Th1 Cells; immunology; Th2 Cells; immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; metabolism
- From: Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2005;34(6):488-491
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes in serum levels of Th1- (IL-2 and TNF-alpha) and Th2-type cytokines (IL-10) and the ratios of Th1/Th2 (IL-2/IL-10 and TNF-alpha/IL-10) in preeclampsia and in gestational hypertension.
METHODSLevels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha were determined with radioimmunoassay in serum samples from 22 women with preeclampsia, 15 women with gestational hypertension and 32 normal term pregnant women. The Th1/Th2 ratios were calculated accordingly.
RESULTThere were no significant differences in serum levels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF-alpha (P>0.05 for all) among normal pregnancy, gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. The ratio of serum IL-2/IL-10 was significantly higher in preeclampsia than that in controls (P < 0.05), and the ratio of TNF-alpha/IL-10 significantly higher in patients with preeclampsia than that in either controls or gestational hypertension (P<0.025 for both).
CONCLUSIONAlterations of serum cytokine balance with predominance of Th1 immunity were observed in preeclampsia. These associations may offer insight into the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.