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Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Systemic Th1/Th2 cytokine responses to paternal and vaccination antigens in preeclampsia: no differences compared
Yvonne Jonsson1, Christina Ekerfelt, Göran Berg
1Autoimmunity and Immune Regulation, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden. yvonne.jonsson@imk.liu.se
Problem:
A Th1-shift has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. This study was designed to compare Th1/Th2 related cytokine secretion in blood between women with preeclampsia (n = 15) and normal pregnancies (n = 15), using a high-sensitivity technique for cytokine detection.
Methods Of Study:
Spontaneous as well as 'fetus-specific' and recall antigen-specific (purified protein derivate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, tetanus toxoid and lipopolysaccharide) secretion of interferon-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-12 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot-forming cell assay (ELISPOT). Fetus-specific secretion was induced by stimulation with paternal PBMC in a mixed leukocyte culture assay.
Results:
All cytokines were secreted by PBMCs both from women with preeclampsia and women with normal pregnancies. No differences in the number of cytokine-secreting cells were found between the two groups.
Conclusions:
No evidence was found for a shift in the systemic Th1/Th2 responses, in preeclampsia compared with normal pregnancy. This does, however, not exclude differences in the local immune responses related to the fetoplacental unit.
