Change Of HCG And IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α Serum Level And MRNA Expression In Peripheral Blood From Different Phase Pregnancy

Objective: To investigate the change of the secretion and expression ofIL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-αfollowing the level of hCG in normal pregnancy.Method: To test the level of hCG, TNF-a, IL-6 and IL-1βin the serum fromnormal pregnant women of the early, mid and late trimester of pregnancy by RIA. Totest the expression of IL-1β, IL-6 mRNA in PBMC in the different phasepregnancy by RT-PCR, while they contrasted to normal control group.Result:1. The level of serum hCG in the early pregnancy significantly increased, in themid and late trimester of pregnancy significantly decreased, but there was significantlydifference in the secretion of hCG between control group and pregnancy group(P＜0.01). The level of serum hCG in the late trimester pregnancy descended to the20％of the peak.2. A high level of IL- 1βin the serum is detected in the trimester of pregnancy, itdecreases in the mid pregnancy, increases again in the late trimester of pregnancy.The level of serum IL-1βchanges following the variation of hCG concentration, itreveals that the normocrinic hCG may play a role in the production of cytokine ingestational period. In the different periods of trimester of pregnancy, the expression ofIL-1βmRNA lasts a high level in PBMC, especially in the late trimester ofpregnancy, its variation according with the changing level of IL-1βin serum.3. Compare to the control group, the level of TNF-αin serum was drecreased inthe different periods of normal pregnancy, but it was not different significantlycompare to the normal group.4. The level of IL-6 in serum and the expression of PBMC IL-6 mRNA wereincreased following the increasing level of hCG in serum, they kept increasingduring the mid trimester of pregnancy and arrived at the peak in the late trimester of pregnancy.5. Compare to the control group, the ratio of IL-1β/IL-6 is not significantlydifferent in the early trimester of pregnancy (p＞0.05), but it has a significantlydifferent in the mid and late trimester of pregnancy (p＜0.01). The ratio of TNF-α/IL-6is not significantly different in the early and mid trimester of pregnancy (p＞0.05), butit has a significantly different in the late trimester of pregnancy (p＜0.01). To someextent, the change of the ratio of IL-1β/IL-6 and TNF-α/IL-6 demonstrate thetendency of transformation in host immune response from Thl to Th2 in thegestational period.Conclusion1. The level of IL-1βand IL-6 in serum and gene expression during thegestational period increased.2. The normocrinic hCG may play a role in the production of cytokine during thegestational period.3. The host immune response may transform from Th1 to Th2 during thegestational period.