Expression of anti-inflammatory mediator lipoxin A4 and inflammation responsive transcriptive factors NF-kappa B in patients with preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of lipoxin A4 (LXA4), NF-kappaB p65 in preeclampsia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LXA4 in blood serum and the lipoxin A4 receptor (ALX-R), NF-kappaB p65 mRNA, protein expressions in placenta-specific tissues were obtained from patients with preeclampsia and normal pregnancy. RESULTS: Levels of lipoxin A4 in women with mild preeclampsia was significantly high (p < 0.05). There was no significant statistical difference between normal pregnancy and severe preeclampsia (p > 0.05). The mRNA expression of ALX-R was significantly low in women with preeclampsia than in control group (p < 0.01) and mRNA expression of NF- kappaB p65 was significantly high in preeclampsia (p < 0.01). The immunohistochemical staining of NF-kappaB p65 protein was stronger in severe preeclampsia group whereas staining of ALX-R in placental tissue was weaker than in control group (p < 0.01). ALX-R mRNA was negatively correlated with NF-kappaB (p < 0.0001), but there was no correlation between LXA4 and ALX-R mRNA. CONCLUSION: There was an excessive maternal inflammatory response in preeclampsia. LXA4, ALX-R, and NF-kappaB p65 may be involved in the disease process ofpreeclampsia.