Open Access

ARTICLE

Cytokine profiles in peripheral, placental and cord blood in pregnant women from an area endemic for Plasmodium falciparum

Marielle K. Bouyou-Akotet^1,2,3, Maryvonne Kombila³, Peter G. Kremsner^1,2, Elie Mavoungou^1,2

1 Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon
2 Department of Parasitology, Institute for Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
3 Département de Parasitologie, Mycologie et de Médecine Tropicale, Université des Sciences de la Santé, Libreville, Gabon

* Corresponding Author: Elie Mavoungou,

European Cytokine Network 2004, 15(2), 120-125.

Accepted 13 February 2004;

Abstract

During gestation, inflammatory cytokines are sometimes more abundant than growth-promoting cytokines, and via direct or indirect effects, proinflammatory cytokines lead to intrauterine growth retardation. We used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the concentrations of three proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-12 (IL-12p40), as well as interleukin-15 (IL-15) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), in plasma from peripheral, placental and cord blood of thirty pregnant Gabonese women. All of these women lived in Libreville and Lambaréné, two malaria hyperendemic areas. IL-12p40 concentrations were higher in cord blood than in placental or peripheral blood. The MCP-1 concentration was higher in placental blood, than in peripheral or cord blood. IL-15 concentrations were similar at the three sites. MCP-1 concentrations were higher in the placentas of primiparous women than in those of multiparous women. The highest concentrations were found in infected placentas. IL-15 concentrations were significantly higher in peripheral and placental plasma from uninfected women than in plasma from infected women. Strong positive correlations were found between placental and cord IL-12p40 and IL-15 plasma concentrations. Likewise, a strong positive correlation was found between IL-12p40 and MCP-1 concentrations in cord and peripheral plasma. These results suggest that placental, maternal peripheral and cord blood present different cytokine profiles in response to P. falciparum.

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Keywords

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