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Soluble human leukocyte antigens, interleukin-6, and interferon-gamma during pregnancy
G P Russwurm1, A M Mackler, O R Fagoaga
1Department of Pathology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, CA 92350, USA.
Problem:
Soluble human leukocyte antigens (sHLA), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were studied during human pregnancy to test the hypothesis that sHLA concentrations are regulated by these specific cytokines.
Method Of Study:
Enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure sHLA I and II in maternal circulation, cord blood, and placenta effluents of pregnant and nonpregnant women; maternal serum cytokines were also determined.
Results:
sHLA in maternal and cord blood were equivalent to that in the placenta. By the third trimester, sHLA I concentrations in maternal plasma were significantly reduced compared to the first or second trimesters. sHLA II was increased during the second trimester relative to that postpartum. Maternal IL-6 and IFN-gamma concentrations were not statistically different throughout gestation or postpartum.
Conclusions:
These data do not suggest a role for maternal plasma IL-6 or IFN-gamma in regulation of systemic sHLA class I during pregnancy, but they do not address whether such events take place in local tissues of the maternal-fetal unit.