Differential levels of interleukin 6 in maternal and cord sera and placenta in women with pre-eclampsia

Background: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a T helper 2 cytokine with a variety of properties including pro-inflammatory characteristics. It has, therefore, been implicated in the pathophysiology of abnormal pregnancies. Objective: To investigate the association between IL-6 and preeclampsia by estimating the differential levels of IL-6 in maternal and cord serum and supernatant of homogenized placental tissue. Methods: 50 primigravidae with pre-eclamps ia and 50 matched normotensive primigravidae served as controls. At deliver y, maternal and cord blood were collected and the serum extracted. Placenta l blocks were homogenized and sonicated in RPMI solution and the supernatan t collected. The total protein concentration was determined and IL-6 levels assayed with an ELISA technique. Results: Placental IL-6 (170 and 186 pg/m g protein) was threefold that in the maternal (64 and 58 pg/mg protein) and cord serum (63 and 72 pg/mg protein; p < 0.01). There was no significant d ifference in the mean IL-6 levels in maternal and cord serum or placenta in both pre-eclamptic women and normotensive controls nor in pre-eclamptic pa tients with babies with intra-uterine growth restriction or in pre-eclampti c patients with babies with an appropriate birth weight and in normotensive controls. Conclusion: There are no differences in the maternal and cord se ra and placental levels of IL-6 in pre-eclamptic and normotensive women, in dicating that IL-6 may not have a role in the pathophysiology of pre-eclamp sia. Copyright (C) 2001 S, Karger AG, Basel.