Elevated Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α mRNA Expression Correlates with Nuclear Factor Kappa B Expression in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Preeclampsia.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate, compare and correlate the mRNA expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in preeclampsia and normotensive group.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional comparative study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY

The study was done in the Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, from November 2016 to November 2018.

METHODOLOGY

Blood samples were collected and mRNA expression of NF-kB and TNF-α was measured quantitatively by real-time polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 27 preeclamptic and 27 normal pregnancies. The preeclamptic group was further divided into early and late onset preeclampsia. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS (version 22).

RESULTS

The peripheral blood mononuclear cells mRNA expression of NF-kB and TNF-α differed within the two groups with an increase in expression in the diseased group (p <0.001). There was an increase of 2.79 fold in mRNA expression of TNF-α while the result for NF-αB was 2.28 fold. The difference in the expression of both NF-kB and TNF-α was significant within the two subgroups of preeclampsia (p <0.001). TNF-α was found to be strongly correlated with NF-kB (p <0.01).