Objective: To study the effect of lipoxins on the proliferation and secretion of peritoneal macrophages from patients with preeclampsia in vitro.
Methods: Peritoneal macrophages were obtained from 24 patients with preeclampsia (preeclampsia group) and 24 normal pregnant women (normal pregnant group) who were treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College from March to July 2007. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the supernatant of macrophages which were pulsed with lipoxins at different concentrations (0, 10, 100 nmol/L) in both groups after 48 hours. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MMTT) assay was used to detect the inhibition rate of cell proliferation of macrophages which were pulsed with lipoxins at different concentrations (0, 10, 100 nmol/L) in both groups after 24 hours.
Results: (1) The concentration of TNF-alpha: the levels of TNF-alpha were (1867.5 +/- 47.3), (1836.9 +/- 4.5) and (1800.5 +/- 2.7) ng/L after treatment with different concentrations of lipoxins (0, 10, 100 nmol/L) in preeclampsia group vs normal pregnant group [(791.3 +/- 62.2), (789.4 +/- 2.3), (781.5 +/- 1.9) ng/L]. The levels of TNF-alpha in preeclampsia group were significantly higher than that in normal pregnant group (P < 0.05). Lipoxins significantly inhibited the concentration of TNF-alpha in a dose-dependent manner in preeclampsia group (P < 0.05), while it had no significant effect in normal pregnant group (P > 0.05). (2) Cell proliferation inhibition: Incubation with lipoxins produced a dose-dependent (0, 10, 100 nmol/L) inhibitory effect on proliferation in preeclampsia group, [ 14. +/-6. )% , (32. +/-3.6)%, ( 6. ++/-3. )% vs normal pregnant group [(16.8 +/- 6.9)%, (16.7 +/- 5.4)%, (15.9 +/- 2.1 )%]. The rate of cell proliferation in preeclampsia group was significantly higher than that in normal pregnant group. Lipoxins significantly inhibited this growth (P < 0.05) , while it had no significant effect in normal pregnant group (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Lipoxins can inhibit the proliferation of macrophage and secretion of TNF-alpha in preeclampsia in a dose-dependent manner. Lipoxins may be potentially useful in prevention and treatment of preeclampsia.