Oxidative damage, inflammation, and Toll-like receptor 4 pathway are increased in preeclamptic patients: a case-control study.

PROBLEM: There was no direct correlation between plasma and placental oxidative damage parameters and inflammation and evidence of TLR4 pathway activation in the placenta in preeclamptic (PE) patients. METHOD OF STUDY: 33 PE patients and 33 normotensive pregnant women were included. The maternal section of the placenta and blood were collected to the determination of oxidative damage markers (thiobarbituric acid reactive species and protein carbonyls), inflammatory response (interleukin-6 and myeloperoxidase activity), and activation of the TLR-4-NF-kB pathway. RESULTS: An increase of IL-6 levels in both plasma and placenta was observed, but myeloperoxidase activity was not significantly different comparing the groups. Oxidative damage parameters were increased in plasma and placenta in PE patients. A significant increase of the protein levels of TLR-4 and NF-kB was observed in the placenta. CONCLUSION: The TLR4-NF-kB pathway is upregulated in PE, probably generating local and systemic inflammatory response that is followed by local and systemic oxidative damage.