Tagawa Noriko, Hidaka Yoh, Takano Toru, Shimaoka Yuki, Kobayashi Yoshiharu, Amino Nobuyuki
Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Kobe Pharmaceutical University, 658-8558 Kobe, Japan.
Clin Chim Acta. 2004 Feb;340(1-2):187-93. doi: 10.1016/j.cccn.2003.10.018.
Since dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) have been suggested to have immunoregulatory effects, changes in the levels of these substances during and after pregnancy might affect the maternal immune system. We examined serum concentrations of DHEA and DHEAS, and cytokine production during pregnancy and after delivery.
The subjects were 73 normal pregnant, 76 normal postpartum and 30 normal non-pregnant women. Whole-blood was stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and ionomycin and the levels of cytokines in the supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). DHEA and DHEAS were measured using ELISA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively.
The serum DHEA levels increased in the first and in the second trimesters and decreased after delivery until 11 months postpartum. DHEAS levels were decreased in the second and in the third trimesters and returned to non-pregnant levels after pregnancy. All measured cytokines (IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10) were decreased during pregnancy and subsequently increased postpartum. We found significant negative correlations between DHEA and cytokine levels.
Increase of serum DHEA in the first and the second trimesters may suppress immune reaction during pregnancy, while a decrease of DHEA after delivery may induce postpartum enhancement of the maternal immune system. DHEA may be involved in modifying the maternal immune responses during and after pregnancy.
由于已表明脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）和硫酸脱氢表雄酮（DHEAS）具有免疫调节作用，孕期及产后这些物质水平的变化可能会影响母体免疫系统。我们检测了孕期及产后血清中DHEA和DHEAS的浓度以及细胞因子的产生情况。
研究对象包括73名正常孕妇、76名正常产后女性和30名正常非孕女性。用佛波酯12 - 肉豆蔻酸酯13 - 乙酸酯（PMA）和离子霉素刺激全血，采用酶联免疫吸附测定法（ELISA）检测上清液中细胞因子的水平。分别使用ELISA和气相色谱 - 质谱联用（GC - MS）法检测DHEA和DHEAS。
血清DHEA水平在孕早期和孕中期升高，产后直至产后11个月降低。DHEAS水平在孕中期和孕晚期降低，产后恢复至非孕水平。所有检测的细胞因子（IFN - γ、IL - 2、IL - 4和IL - 10）在孕期降低，随后在产后升高。我们发现DHEA与细胞因子水平之间存在显著的负相关。
孕早期和孕中期血清DHEA的升高可能会抑制孕期的免疫反应，而产后DHEA的降低可能会诱导母体免疫系统在产后增强。DHEA可能参与调节孕期及产后母体的免疫反应。
