| Problem: To investigate whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with exac‐
erbation of inflammatory responses in preeclamptic (PE) patients, the dynamic
changes of Th17 and Treg cells, monocytes, cytokines, and transcription pattern of
inflammasome‐related genes were analyzed in 35 women with PE suffering from
MetS in comparison to 38 PE women without MetS and healthy pregnant women.
Method of study: Expression of inflammasome‐related genes, cytokines, and also TLR4
was measured using real‐time PCR. Serum and medium supernatant cytokines levels of
PBMCs and serum levels of HMGB1 and Caspase‐1 were also evaluated by ELISA.
Monocytes, Th17, and Treg cells frequency were also determined by flow cytometry.
Result: PE women with MetS exhibited increased percentage of non‐classical and
intermediate monocytes and Th17 cells (P = 0.025). Furthermore, decreased Treg
cells frequency was also observed in PE women with MetS compared to PE women
(P = 0.019). The mRNA expression of inflammasome‐related genes (Caspase‐1,
NLRP3, HMGB1), TLR4, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐17, IL‐18, and TNF‐α was significantly higher in
PE patients with MetS than that of the healthy pregnant individuals (P < 0.0001) and
PE patients (P < 0.0001). Serum levels of TGF‐β and TNF‐α in PE patients with MetS
were increased compared to other two groups, while IL‐10 levels were significantly
reduced. A significant sFlt (P = 0.016), Caspase‐1 (P = 0.012), HMGB1 (P = 0.016) up‐
regulation, and VEGF (P = 0.023) downregulation were also observed in the serum of
PE women having MetS compared to PE women.
Conclusion: MetS is closely related to the exacerbation of inflammatory reactions in
PE. This study indicates that, in order to diminish the systemic features of PE, prior to
conceive and start a pregnancy, MetS should be severely considered and managed. |