IMMUNOLOGICAL CHANGES IN PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION

Aspects of T and B cell function were studied in women with pregnancy- induced hypertension (PIH) and normotensive pregnant women by determin ing the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) wit h or without stimulation by mitogens (PHA, ConA and PWM) and by determ ining IgG and IgM levels in the culture supernatant. The results showe d that the proliferation of PBMC without mitogens was significantly in creased in PIH women without proteinuria compared with normotensive pr egnant women. In the presence of PHA, [H-3]thymidine uptake in PBMC wa s statistically higher in PIH women both with and without proteinuria than that in normotensive pregnant women. ConA and PWM mitogen activit ies were not significantly different between PIH women and normotensiv e pregnant women. Compared with normotensive pregnant women, IgG produ ction was significantly increased in PIH women with proteinuria but no t in those without proteinuria. IgM production was not changed in PIH women. We concluded that immunologic responses in PIH women were incre ased rather than decreased. This increased immunologic activity is in accordance with some important changes seen in PIH, such as an increas e in intracellular calcium, the presence of blood-borne mitogenic fact or and a decrease in prostaglandin E series. These findings also suppo rt the hypothesis that PIH might result from the imbalance between fet al antigenic load and maternal production of immunologic blockade.