Evaluation of the role of serum TNF alfa, Fas and soluble Fas ligand levels in preeclamptic and severe preeclamptic women

Preeclampsia comprises a clinical entity that involves severe maternal andfetal morbidity and mortality. To this day, the search for a predictor of thiscondition contiues; despite numerous studies, a marker of high enoughsensitivity and specificity has yet to be discovered. The aim of this study is tocompare the levels of TNF ?, Fas and Fas Ligand in normal pregnancies,preeclamptic and severe preeclamptic subjects, and by doing so, determining therole of these inflamatory products in the preeclamptic process.This study included 21 healthy pregnant patients, 26 preeclamptic petientsand 22 pregnant women diagnosed as severely preeclamptic. All subjects wereselected from follow up patients at Gazi University Hospital, and their agesranged between 19 - 42. Fas, soluble Fas Ligand and TNF ? was measured invenous blood samples in both the second and third trimester, using the ELISAtechnique. Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS for Windows 11.5Statistical Packet Programme.The resluts revealed that there was no significant difference between levelsof maternal serum Fas and soluble Fas Ligand in both the healthy pregnant patientgroup (control group) and the preeclamptic groups. The mean Fas levels showedan increasing trend in the order of normal, preeclamptic, severe preeclampticpatients respectively- however this increase was not statistically significant. ( p =0,748, p= 0,369, p= 0,402 ). On the other hand, mean levels of soluble FasLigand were lower in the preeclamptic group with comparison to the normalgroup, and higher in the severe preeclapmsia group with respect to the normalgroup. These differences in Fas Ligand levels were not of statistical significanceeither (p= 0,049, p= 0,534, p= 0,435). Maternal serum TNF ? was significantlyhigher in preeclamptic groups in comparison to the control group ( p= 0,002).This study is contrary to current literature in that, the demonstrated maternal plasma sFASL levels in preeclamptic women were higher but did not show statistical significance in comparison with the control group. This study supported current literature stating that the accurate analysis of these proteins may be influenced by different severities of preeclampsia, different gestational ages in addition to sFAS- sFASL interaction.