High blood levels of macrophage colony-stimulating factor in preeclampsia
M Hayashi, M Numaguchi, H Watabe and Y Yaoi
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Koshigaya Hospital, Dokkyo
University School of Medicine, Saitama, Japan.
In pregnancy, the decidual cells produce and secrete large amounts of
macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). M-CSF stimulates the
proliferation and differentiation of trophoblasts. In addition, it
stimulates them in a dose-dependent manner to produce certain hormones,
such as human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen. Based on
these facts, M-CSF is considered to be an essential cytokine for placental
maintenance. Because placental dysfunction may sometimes result from
preeclampsia, ascertaining blood M-CSF levels in preeclamptic patients
would be of interest. The blood was collected from 33 subjects, of whom 19
were normal pregnant women and 14 were preeclamptic patients. The M-CSF
level was determined by the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
method using three antibodies. The investigators measured peripheral blood
M-CSF levels in preeclamptic subjects and compared them with levels in
subjects with normal pregnancies. This study showed that peripheral blood
M-CSF levels were significantly higher in preeclamptic patients in the 30th
and 38th weeks of pregnancy (P < .005). This is the first report
concerning high M-CSF blood levels in preeclamptic patients.
Volume 88,
Issue 12,
pp. 4426-4428,
12/15/1996
Copyright © 1996 by The American Society of Hematology
