Increased leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium in preeclampsia is inhibited by antioxidants.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that plasma from women with preeclampsia increases leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelial cells and that antioxidants inhibit this effect.

Study Design: Plasma from 12 women with severe preeclampsia and 12 with normal pregnancy was tested in an in vitro leukocyte-endothelium adhesion assay in the presence or absence of vitamin E, vitamin C, or N-acetylcysteine.

Results: Preeclamptic plasma significantly increased monocyte (U937 cells) and T-cell (Jurkat) adhesion to human umbilical vein (HUVEC) and microvascular endothelial cells, compared with normal pregnant plasma.

Increased vascular endothelial cell production of interleukin-6 in severe preeclampsia.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether plasma from women with severe preeclampsia stimulates the production of endothelial cell interleukin-6 production and whether vitamin E could inhibit this process.

Study Design: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured in the presence of 5% plasma from women with severe preeclampsia (n = 12) or healthy pregnant women at term (n = 12), with or without 50 micromol/L vitamin E. Levels of interleukin-6 in plasma and human umbilical vein endothelial cell-conditioned media were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.