MODULATIONS OF CYTOKINE EXPRESSION IN PREGNANT-WOMEN

PROBLEM: Although the overall anti-infectious and anti-parasitic immun ity of parous women appears normal, several aspects of maternal cell-m ediated and humoral immunity are altered during pregnancy. This has be en suggested to occur via preferential local and systemic secretion of Th-2 type cytokines, which down-regulate or prevent secretion/action of Th-l type cytokines, in animals as well as in humans. METHOD: To ev aluate the influence of gestation on the maternal immune system, we ha ve measured, in pregnant women, the mRNAs coding for several cytokines (TNF alpha, IFN gamma, GM-CSF, IL-1 beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 ) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, by use of semi-quantitative R T-PCR. RESULTS: Our results show significant modulations of IFN gamma, IL-1 beta, IL-4, and IL-6 genes expression especially during the thir d trimester and near parturition. CONCLUSION: Cytokine expression is t hus finely tuned in peripheral blood during pregnancy, in a previously unexpected complex pattern, related to gestational stage.