EVIDENCE FOR AN ELEVATION IN SERUM INTERLEUKIN-2 AND TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA LEVELS BEFORE THE CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF PREECLAMPSIA

PROBLEM: The purpose of this study is to clarify whether the disruptio n of immune regulation occurs in early pregnancy before the clinical m anifestations of preeclampsia. METHOD OF STUDY: The serum concentratio ns of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were determined by using enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) in the first trimester of pregnancy in women who had preeclampsia deve lop after 28 weeks of pregnancy (preeclamptic group) and in women who completed pregnancy uneventfully (control group). RESULTS: Serum conce ntrations of both IL-2 and TNF-alpha in the first trimester of the pre eclamptic group were significantly higher than those of the control gr oup. CONCLUSIONS: That the perturbation of fete-maternal immune regula tion may precede the clinical manifestations of preeclampsia, which ma y be of relevance in the development of preeclampsia, is suggested.