[Changes of T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 ratio in peripheral blood and decidua in hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of immune response induced by different T-helper 1 and T-helper 2 (Th1 and Th2) ratio in peripheral blood and decidua from patients with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy in the pathogenesis of the disease.

METHODS: Peripheral blood and decidua from 12 non-pregnant women (no deciduas) (normal women group), 12 healthy pregnant women (healthy pregnant women group), 10 patients with gestational hypertension (gestational hypertension group), 25 patients with pre-eclampsia (PE) (including 10 patients with mild pre-eclampsia and 15 patients with severe pre-eclampsia) (pre-eclampsia group). Th1/Th2 ratio in peripheral blood and decidua was determined by flow-cytometrically.

RESULTS: The ratio of Th1/Th2 in peripheral blood with normal women group is 10.5 +/- 1.5, the ratios of Th1/Th2 in peripheral blood and deciduas with healthy pregnant women group are 9.5 +/- 2.9 and 7.6 +/- 4.6 respectively, those with gestational hypertension group are 12.1 +/- 3.4 and 13.1 +/- 5.6 respectively, those with pre-eclampsia group are 16.8 +/- 3.8 and 26.7 +/- 9.4 respectively. The ratios of Th1/Th2 in peripheral blood and deciduas with pre-eclampsia group are much higher than those with other groups, when they are compared with each other, there are statistical difference (P < 0.05). And the ratio of Th1/Th2 with pre-eclampsia in deciduas is much higher than that in peripheral blood, comparing these two aspects, there is statistical difference (P < 0.001). The changes of Th1/Th2 ratio in gestational hypertension group is an intermediate between healthy pregnant group and pre-eclampsia group.

CONCLUSIONS: Hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy is a syndrome of Th1/Th2 cell balance disturbances in vivo. Over-expression of Th1 cells and imbalance of Th1/Th2 might lead to hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy.