Altered Expression of TCR/CD3-Zeta Induced by Sera from Women with Preeclampsia

Citation

Whitecar, Paul W.; Boggess, Kim A.; McMahon, Michael J.; Thorp, John M., Jr.; & Taylor, Douglas D. (2001). Altered Expression of TCR/CD3-Zeta Induced by Sera from Women with Preeclampsia. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 185, 812-818.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate TCR-CD3zeta expression by cultured T lymphocytes exposed to midtrimester sera from pregnant women in whom preeclampsia developed at term compared with normotensive pregnant control subjects.
Study design: Sera obtained at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation from 16 nulliparous women in whom preeclampsia developed at term and from 32 gestational age-matched control subjects without preeclampsia were evaluated for TCR-CD3zeta chain expression with use of Jurkat cells. Subsets of serum samples from 6 women with preeclampsia and 6 control subjects were then evaluated for their ability to induce apoptosis and to suppress interleukin-2 production. Groups were compared by use of the Kruskal-Wallis test, and P <.05 was considered significant.
Results: TCR-CD3zeta chain expression in cultured T lymphocytes was suppressed in approximately 60% of untreated control subjects after incubation with sera from normotensive pregnant women compared with 30% after incubation with sera from women with preeclampsia (P <.001). T-cell apoptosis was significantly higher after incubation with sera from normotensive control subjects, as was the expression of the proapoptotic regulator Bax, compared with sera from women with preeclampsia. Interleukin-2 levels were higher in T cells incubated with sera from women in whom preeclampsia later developed compared with sera from normotensive pregnant women (27.7 ng/mL versus 72.5 ng/mL; P <.001).
Conclusions: Nulliparous women in whom preeclampsia developed did not suppress TCR-CD3zeta levels to the extent of normotensive control subjects, which may be linked to decreased lymphocyte apoptosis. This occurs remotely from the manifestation of clinical disease and suggests a deficiency in a serum factor in preeclampsia that may induce T cell zeta chain suppression in normal pregnancy.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1067/mob.2001.117307

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2001

Journal Title

American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Author(s)

Whitecar, Paul W.
Boggess, Kim A.
McMahon, Michael J.
Thorp, John M., Jr.
Taylor, Douglas D.

ORCiD

Thorp - 0000-0002-9307-6690