Role of perforin in severe preeclampsia

Abstract

To investigate the possible role of perforin (PFN) in the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia. Thirty-two cases of severe preeclampsia were included in the study. Thirty-two cases of normal pregnancy were selected as control group in random. The expression of PFN mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was detected by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, and its correlation with mean arterial pressure was analyzed in severe preeclamptic patients. The expression of PFN protein in the decidua was detected by immunohistochemistry. (1) The expression of PFN mRNA in PBMC:the PFN mRNA level in severe preeclamptic group was 1.19 ± 0.31, and that in normal pregnancy group is 0.82 ± 0.28. The PFN mRNA level in severe preeclamptic group was significantly higher than that of control group (P < 0.01). (2) Correlation analysis: the mean blood pressure in severe preeclampsia group was (133 ± 5) mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa). There was significant positive correlation between level of PFN mRNA in PBMC and mean blood pressure in severe preeclamptic patients (r = 0.701, P = 0.000). (3) Decidual PFN protein expression:PFN protein was mainly expressed in lymphocytes and the cytoplasm of decidual stromal cells. The positive ratio of PFN in the decidua of severe preeclamptic patients was 84% (27/32), significantly higher than that of control group (53%, 17/32, P < 0.01). Expression of PFN was significantly increased in severe preeclampsia, and it was of significant positive correlation with mean blood pressure. PFN may participate in the pathogenesis of severe preeclampsia.