Association between cytokine profile and transcription factors produced by T cells subsets in early and late-onset preeclampsia.

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is an obstetric pathology characterized by abnormal activation of the innate and adaptive immune system dependent on the imbalance of T helper subsets. The present study aimed to evaluate the gene and protein expression of Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg T-cell transcription factors in peripheral blood lymphocytes from pregnant women with PE employing RT-qPCR and flow cytometry techniques, as well as the cytokine profile produced by these CD4(+) T cell subsets in the plasma of pregnant women with PE, classified in early-onset PE (n=20), late-onset PE (n=20) and normotensive pregnant women (n=20). Results showed higher percentage of CD4(+) T cells expressing the RORc transcription factor (Th17) and lower percentage of cells expressing FoxP3 (Treg) in women with early-onset PE compared to late-onset PE and normotensive groups. A lower gene expression of GATA-3 transcription factor was detected in cells of early-onset PE compared with late-onset PE group. Endogenous plasma levels of IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α were significantly higher in early-onset PE group than in late-onset PE and normotensive groups, whereas IL-4 (Th2 profile) and IL-22 (Th17 profile), was not significant different between the studied groups. The endogenous levels of TGF-β and IL-10 were significantly lower in the preeclamptic than in normotensive groups of the same gestational age, with a significant difference between early and late-onset PE. The results show that in preeclamptic women there is an imbalance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory profiles in CD4(+) T cells subsets, with polarization to Th17 profiles in the early-onset PE, considered as the severe form of preeclampsia. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.