IL-12, IL-6 and IFN-gamma production by lymphocytes of pregnant women withrheumatoid arthritis remission during pregnancy

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with progres sive activity. The RA remission was observed in women during pregnancy, but the mechanism responsible for remission is hypothetical only and concerns mechanisms of immune regulation such as lymphocyte subpopulations and inter leukin production. Aims: The lymphocyte subpopulations and interleukin production in vitro in a group of healthy non-pregnant women, healthy pregnant women and pregnant women suffering from RA may help towards a better understanding of regulati on of the immune processes. Methods: The investigations were performed in trimester III - 2 days after delivery and 6 weeks after delivery. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were isol ated on Gradisol gradient and analysed immediately or after having been cul tured for 72 hours in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% FCS. The cultures w ere terminated after 72 h, supernatants stored at -72 degreesC for interleu kin evaluation. The concentrations of IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-alp ha and its soluble receptors R-I, R-II were estimated in non-stimulated and PHA (Sigma, 5 mug/ ml) stimulated cultures supernatants using ELISA Endoge n kits according to the manufacturer's instructions. Results: The general pattern of T cell subpopulation distribution was simil ar in all analysed groups. Decreased IFN-gamma, IL-12 and increased IL-6 pr oduction by lymphocytes after PHA stimulation was found in trimester III in pregnant women with RA as compared to healthy pregnant woman. Conclusion: The obtained results suggest that in pregnant women with RA the TH1 cell response predominates, contrary to healthy pregnant women with TH 2 type functional response. These phenomena were not observed after deliver y.