Alterations of IL-6, IL-6R and gp130 in early and late onset severe preeclampsia

Objective: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its receptor complex participate in a number of critical biological activities through several signaling pathways. Placental dysfunction and increased inflammation are believed to underlie the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia (PE), which may involve IL-6-induced signaling. We investigate whether the changes in the expression of IL-6 and its cognate receptors, IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and glycoprotein (gp)130, occur between early and late onset severe PE. Methods: A total of 18 healthy gravidas and 41 severe preeclamptic women were recruited, including 20 pregnancies with early onset and 21 pregnancies with late onset. The IL-6, soluble IL-6R (sIL-6R) and soluble gp130 (sgp130) levels in maternal and umbilical cord sera were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; the immunoactivities of IL-6, IL-6R and gp130 in the placentas were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Results: We found that (1) maternal serum IL-6 and sIL-6R levels were increased, w...