Published Online
on May 17, 2004

A more recent version of this article appeared on July 1, 2004

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Submitted on February 2, 2004
Revised on February 18, 2004

Neutrophils Infiltrate Resistance-Sized Vessels of Subcutaneous Fat in Women With Preeclampsia

Courtney E. Leik and Scott W. Walsh^*

From the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Physiology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: swwalsh{at}vcu.edu.

Abstract--We examined if there is systemic vascular inflammation and neutrophil infiltration in women with preeclampsia. Resistance-sized vessels (10 to 200 µm) of subcutaneous fat were evaluated from normal nonpregnant women, normal pregnant women, and preeclamptic women. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for: (1) interleukin-8 (IL-8), a potent neutrophil chemokine; (2) intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1; CD54), an endothelial cell adhesion molecule; and (3) CD66b, a neutrophil antigen. Vessels of preeclamptic patients had intense IL-8 staining in the endothelium and vascular smooth muscle, as compared with little or no staining for normal pregnant and normal nonpregnant patients. ICAM-1 was expressed on the endothelium of all patient groups. In preeclamptic patients, ICAM-1 was also expressed on vascular smooth muscle. Vessels of preeclamptic patients had significantly more CD66b staining of neutrophils than did normal pregnant or normal nonpregnant patients. There were significantly more vessels stained, more vessels with neutrophils flattened and adhered to endothelium, more vessels with neutrophils infiltrated into the intima, and more neutrophils per vessel. In conclusion, in women with preeclampsia, there was significant infiltration of neutrophils into maternal systemic vasculature associated with inflammation of the vascular smooth muscle indicated by increased expression of IL-8 and ICAM-1. Neutrophil infiltration provides a reasonable explanation for endothelial and vascular smooth muscle dysfunction in preeclampsia because neutrophils produce toxic substances, which may explain clinical symptoms.

Key words: neutrophils • preeclampsia • interleukins • cell adhesion molecules • endothelium • adipose tissue

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