Serum and placental interleukin-18 are elevated in preeclampsia

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a proinflammatory cytokine with pleiotrophic qualities and its roles in pregnancy, labor onset and pregnant complications have been proposed. However, the alterations of serum and placental IL-18 have been less investigated. The objective of the current investigation was to detect IL-18 concentrations in serum and placentas from patients with preeclampsia and women with normal pregnancy.

27 patients with preeclampsia and 28 women with normal pregnancy were recruited. Blood and placental samples were taken and IL-18 concentrations in serum and placental homogenate were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The levels of IL-18 in serum and placenta were compared between preeclampsia and control.

Both serum and placental levels of IL-18 were significantly increased in preeclampsia as compared with control (P=0.014 and 0.003, respectively). Serum and placental levels of IL-18 were not significantly different in preeclamptic women who received dexomethasone and those who did not (P=0.223 and 0.330, respectively). Serum and placental IL-18 levels were not significantly different between preeclamptic women who delivered before 36 complete gestational weeks and those who delivered after 36 complete weeks (P=0.616 and 0.869, respectively). There were no significant differences in serum and placental IL-18 between women with mild preeclampsia and those with severe preeclampsia (P=0.056 and 0.357, respectively).

Increased serum and placental levels of IL-18 were observed in preeclampsia. Those associations may offer insight into the pathogenesis of the disease.