| Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) is a specific complication in the second and third trimester and affects adversely the maternal-fetal prognosis by increasing perinatal mortality and morbidity. The same is true in developed counties. In the past decades, achievements have been made in the treatment of pregnancy-induced hypertension and better understandings have been achieved in the pathology of the disease, however, the etiology and developmental mechanism remain obscure. This restrains the prevention and further improvement of the treatment. Thus, it will be inviting area to investigate.Immunologically, conceptus carries paternal heritage and antigen and is semi-allograft to maternal immune system. Pregnancy is a successful allo-transplantation established by deliberate balance between maternal and fetal immune systems via mutual recognition and reaction. Immune imbalance between the mother and her fetus may lead to pregnant failure and pregnant complications, such as fetal loss, pregnancy-induced hypertension and fetal growth restriction. It has been evidenced that pregnancy is a Th2 phenomenon withTh1/Th2 balance shifted to Th2, while Thl immunity predominates in preeclampsia when the expression and production of intracellular cytokines of PBMC are observed. Although, one paper is available describing Th1/Th2 imbalance in serum from patients with preeclampsia, none is available in placenta. Thus, the objectives of the current investigation were to detect Thl type cytokines (i.e. interleukin-2 and tumor necrotic factor) and Th2 type cytokines (i.e. interleukin-4 and interleukin-10) in theserum and placenta of pregnancy-induced hypertension and to evaluate their roles in the pathogenesis of the disease.The subjects are 37 patients whose pregnancy-induced hypertension was diagnosed during December 2001 through January 2003 and who underwent selective cesarean section. The ages of the subjects ranged 18 years to 45 with a median of 28.0 years and the gestational ages at delivery 33 weeks to 41 weeks with a median of 37 weeks. The controls were 32 term pregnant women who underwent selective cesarean section during the research duration and who had no undergoing diseases and complications. The ages covered 23 years to 36years with a median of 28.5 and their gestational ages at delivery covered 38 weeks to 42 weeks with a median of 40 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken from all the participants and controls and serum was collected, aliquoted and stored at -30℃ until assayed. Placenta samples were taken immediately after it was delivered and was washed with cold saline, absorbed with paper towels, snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -30 ℃ until assayed. To make placental homogenate, placental samples were thawed on ice and 2.5 volumes of extraction buffer were added. Placentas were homogenized, centrifuged and the supernatant was collected for the assays of protein and cytokines. Cytokines in serum and placental homogenate were determined by means of radioimmunoassay and protein by the method of Bradford. Placental cytokine levels were expressed in cytokines per mg protein.Our data showed that, as compared with that of control, serum level of IL-4 was significantly higher in the group of PIH, resulting in significantly decreased ratio of serum IL-2/IL-4 in PIH, while serum levels of IL-2, IL-10 and TNF- a and that ratios of IL-2/IL-10, TNF/IL-4 and TNF/IL-10 were comparable between the groups. And further, placental level of TNF- a increased significantly in PIH patients as compared with the control, resulting in significantly increased ratios of placental IL-2/IL-10 and TNF- a /IL-10, while placental levels of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 and the ratios of TNF/IL-4 and TNF/IL-10 were comparable between the groups. Levels of serumand placental levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-10 and TNF- a were not significantly different among mild, moderate and severe PIH.When PIH patients were divided into three groups according to their gestational weeks of PIH onset: before 32 complete weeks, afte...
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