PP028. Serum cytokine profile in relation to the clinical features and laboratory parameters in women with preeclampsia

Introduction: Preeclampsia is characterized by an excessive maternal systemic inflammatory response.

Objectives: To determine circulating levels of cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia, and to investigate their relationship to the clinical features and laboratory parameters of the patients.

Methods: Serum levels of IL-1beta, IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p40, IL-12p70, IL-18, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta1, IP-10, MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were measured in 60 preeclamptic, 60 healthy pregnant and 59 healthy non-pregnant women.

Results: In addition to a shift towards Th1-type immunity (increased IL-2/IL-4 and IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratios), levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-alpha, the chemokines IL-8, IP-10 and MCP-1, as well as the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, were raised in preeclampsia, resulting in an overall pro-inflammatory systemic environment. Increased IP-10, MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 concentrations of preeclamptic patients showed significant correlations with blood pressure values, renal and liver function parameters, as well as with CRP, malondialdehyde, von Willebrand factor antigen and fibronectin levels.

Conclusion: Elevated amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules in the maternal circulation might play a central role in the excessive systemic inflammatory response, as well as in the generalized endothelial dysfunction characteristics of preeclampsia.