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. 2015;24(2):165-70.
doi: 10.1159/000369363. Epub 2014 Dec 5.

Tumor necrosis factor-α and pregnancy complications: a prospective study

Fawaz Y Azizieh  1 , Raj G Raghupathy
Affiliations

Tumor necrosis factor-α and pregnancy complications: a prospective study

Fawaz Y Azizieh et al. Med Princ Pract. 2015.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in normal pregnancies and pregnancies with complications.

Materials and methods: Maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells from women with a recurrent spontaneous miscarriage (n = 35), premature rupture of fetal membranes (n = 30), preeclampsia (n = 27) and intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR; n = 36) were stimulated with mitogen or antigen, and the levels of TNF-α produced were compared to those produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a normal pregnancy (n = 35).

Results: The median levels of mitogen-induced TNF-α at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester, and at normal delivery were 1,176.4, 4,320.9, 7,307.4 and 2,463.0 pg/ml, respectively, while those produced in the recurrent spontaneous miscarriage, premature rupture of membranes and preeclampsia cases were 4,159.8, 3,489.5 and 4,149.2 pg/ml, respectively. The differences were statistically significantly higher in these pregnancy complications (p = 0.04, 0.024 and 0.014) as compared to the levels in normal pregnancy. Furthermore, antigen-induced TNF-α levels were produced at statistically significantly higher levels by women with IUGR (120.4 pg/ml) compared to women with normal pregnancies (17.9 pg/ml; p = 0.041).

Conclusion: Higher levels of TNF-α seem to play a role in these pregnancy complications, suggesting its pathogenesis in such conditions.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Median levels of TNF-α produced by mitogen-activated PBMCs from women in their 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters (Tri), women with ND, and women with RSM, PROM and preeclampsia (PIH).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Median levels of TNF-α produced by JEG antigen-activated PBMCs from women with ND, all IUGR subjects (IUGR), IUGR with placental insufficiency (IUGR W) and IUGR without placental insufficiency (IUGR WO).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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