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Changes in cytokine production during and after normal pregnancy
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Osaka University Medical School, Suita, Japan.
Problem:
The systemic T helper 1/T helper 2 (Th1/Th2) cytokine balance during normal human pregnancy is controversial, and observations about the balance in the postpartum period have only been reported for up to 3 months.
Method:
Whole-blood, from 83 healthy pregnant women, 80 healthy postpartum women, and 31 healthy non-pregnant women was stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin, and the levels of cytokines in the supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results:
The production of all measured cytokines decreased during pregnancy, especially in the second trimester. After delivery, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) increased from 2 to 11 months postpartum, and IL-4 increased from 6 to 11 months postpartum.
Conclusions:
These data indicate that 1) decreases in production of both Th1-and Th2-type cytokines during pregnancy may be related to the pregnancy-induced amelioration of autoimmune diseases: 2) increases in production of both Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in the postpartum period may be related to the postpartum aggravation of autoimmune diseases.