High serum interleukin-8 levels in afro-caribbean women with pre-eclampsia. Relations with tumor necrosis factor-alpha, duffy negative phenotype and von Willebrand factor

Am J Reprod Immunol. 2002 Nov;48(5):319-22. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0897.2002.01087.x.

Abstract

Problem: Pre-eclampsia is characterized by neutrophil activation. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a strong neutrophil chemo-attractant and activator.

Method of study: We measured serum IL-8 in 13 pre-eclamptic Afro-Caribbean women and 13 gestational age-, race- and parity-matched normotensive and non-proteinuric controls. We also determined serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), the phenotypes of the IL-8 binding Duffy blood group antigen receptor and the von Willebrand factor (vWF) plasma levels.

Results: Serum IL-8, TNF-alpha, Duffy negative phenotype frequency and plasma vWF were higher in pre-eclamptic women compared with controls. IL-8 correlated positively with both TNF-alpha and vWF in the entire study group.

Conclusions: Higher IL-8 levels in pre-eclampsia may result from increased production (secondary to increased TNF-alpha levels) and/or reduced clearance (related to a high frequency of Duffy negative phenotype).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Black People
  • Duffy Blood-Group System / genetics
  • Duffy Blood-Group System / immunology
  • Erythrocytes / immunology
  • Female
  • Gene Frequency
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-8 / blood*
  • Interleukin-8 / metabolism
  • Pre-Eclampsia / blood*
  • Pre-Eclampsia / genetics
  • Pre-Eclampsia / immunology
  • Pregnancy
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • von Willebrand Factor / metabolism

Substances

  • Duffy Blood-Group System
  • Interleukin-8
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • von Willebrand Factor