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Evidence for Superantigen Involvement in Preeclampsia
Author(s) -
LUPPI PATRIZIA,
MATHIE THOMAS,
FAAS SUSAN,
RUDERT WILLIAM A.,
TRUCCO MASSIMO,
MCKNIGHT CRAIG,
STEWARTAKERS ANN M.,
DELOIA JULIE A.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.8755-8920.2000.430401.x
Subject(s) - superantigen , human leukocyte antigen , t cell receptor , immunology , preeclampsia , allele , pathogenesis , polymerase chain reaction , biology , antigen , immune system , t cell , gene , medicine , pregnancy , genetics
PROBLEM: Preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and premature fetal delivery in the United States, most likely involving the immune system in disease genesis. In this report, we tested the hypothesis that a superantigen phenomenon is an important factor in the pathogenesis of the disease.
METHOD OF STUDY: A semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to assess T‐cell receptor (TCR) β chain variable (V β ) regions as an indicator of T‐cell expansion in both peripheral blood and basal plate of preeclamptic patients. All the subjects were also molecularly typed to identify their HLA‐class II alleles.
RESULTS: In peripheral blood of the majority of the patients, there was a high abundance of the V β 4 gene family, which was not observed in the control group. Polyclonality of this V β gene family was confirmed by analysis of the V α chain and the complementary determining region 3 (CDR3). The majority of patients carried the Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA)‐DRB1*13 allele.
CONCLUSION: We present evidence for the existence of a superantigen‐like effect in at least a subset of patients with preeclampsia.