Leukocytes of pregnant women with small-for-gestational age neonates have a different phenotypic and metabolic activity from those of women with preeclampsia

Figures & data

Table I.  Leukocyte surface antigens analyzed and staining of leukocyte subpopulation with specific monoclonal antibodies with the use of whole-blood flow cytometry.

			Percentage of positive-staining cells*
Surface marker	Function	Monoclonal antibody subtype	Granulocytes	Monocytes
CD11b	Integrin αM sub-unit, binds to ICAM-1	IgG1	60.5 (21.3)	51.4 (28.0)
CD14	Receptor for lipopolysaccharide and its binding protein	IgG2a	2.7 (1.2)	93.2 (4.3)
CD15	Fucosylated carbohydrate structure, recognizes endothelial selectins	IgM	98.6 (1.3)	21.8 (17.1)
CD16	Low affinity receptor for aggregated IgG	IgG1	96.3 (2.6)	13.3 (5.4)
CD18	Integrin β2 sub-unit, mediates migration of leukocytes through vessel wall	IgG1	98.1 (3.4)	93.4 (7.1)
CD49d	α4-integrin, binds to VCAM-1 and fibronectin	IgG1	4.5 (2.0)	29.0 (17.8)
CD62L	L-selectin, mediates tethering and rolling of leukocytes	IgG1	78.0 (13.4)	53.5 (22.4)
CD64	High affinity receptor for IgG, mediates release of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α	IgG1	5.9 (2.6)	77.8 (21.4)
CD66b	Member of the CEA family, mediates cell–cell interaction	IgG1	70.6 (18.4)	3.5 (1.8)
HLA-DR	Class II MHC antigen	IgG1	3.2 (1.2)	68.5 (13.6)

ICAM-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1; VCAM-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1; IgG, immunoglobulin G; MHA, major histocompatibility antigen.

*Granulocyte and monocyte subgroups distinguished by side scatter and LDS-751 fluorescence characteristics. For each subpopulation, the percentage of positive cells is given as mean (SD) for normal non-pregnant women (n = 20).

Table II.  Demographic and clinical characteristics of the study groups.

	Normal pregnancy (n = 33)	p	SGA (n = 33)	p^a	Preeclampsia (n = 33)	p^b
Age	27 (18–36)	0.69	27 (18–43)	0.13	22 (18–36)	0.23
Nulliparous	7 (21.2%)	0.40	10 (30.3%)	0.05	18 (54.5%)	0.005*
Race
African American	23 (69.7%)	0.67	25 (75.8%)	0.95	26 (78.8%)	0.51
Caucasian	6 (18.2%)		5 (15.2%)		5 (15.2%)
Other	4 (12.1%)		3 (9.1%)		2 (6%)
GA at blood sampling	32.6 (24–39.5)	0.95	32.5 (25–40.2)	0.68	32.5 (25.4–40.1)	0.66
Blood sampling ≥ 37 weeks	11 (33.3%)	0.80	12 (36.4%)	0.80	11 (33.3%)	1.00
GA at delivery	39 (37–41.1)	<0.001*	35 (26.3–40.6)	0.70	34.5 (25.5–40.1)	<0.001*
Birthweight (g)	3320 (2600–3885)	<0.001*	1840 (420–2530)	0.08	1880 (320–3670)	<0.001*
Birthweight < 10th percentile	0	<0.001*	33 (100%)	<0.001*	15 (45.5%)	<0.001*
Birthweight < 5th percentile	0	<0.001*	23 (69.7%)	<0.001*	8 (24.2%)	0.003*
Birthweight ratio ±	0.97 (0.8–1.1)	<0.001*	0.66 (0.2–0.8)	0.001*	0.76 (0.4–1.1)	<0.001*

SGA, small-for-gestational age; GA, gestational age.

Values are expressed as median (range) or number (%);±birthweight ratio = birthweight/ median birthweight for gestational age.

p: Comparison between normal pregnant women and SGA.

p^a: Comparison between SGA and preeclampsia.

p^b: Comparison between preeclampsia and normal pregnant women.

*Statistically significant (p < 0.001).

Table III.  Mean channel brightness of labeled antibody binding to peripheral blood granulocytes.

Surface marker	Normal pregnancy (n = 33)	p	SGA (n = 33)	p^a	Preeclampsia (n = 33)	p^b
CD11b	4.1 (2.3–8.1)	< 0.001*	6.4 (2.2–23.5)	0.17	5.8 (3.3–15.5)	0.001*
CD14	1.3 (0.7–1.8)	0.08	1.2 (0.7–2.5)	0.76	1.1 (0.6–2.8)	0.07
CD15	88.6 (44.4–122.4)	0.74	88.1 (54–127.3)	0.67	85.7 (66.3–116.1)	0.60
CD16	37.1 (0.9–58.8)	0.11	43.5 (0.5–123.3)	0.15	31.4 (4.1–110)	0.51
CD18	8.8 (5.6–12.3)	0.04	8.8 (6.0–30.7)	0.03	8.1 (4.5–16.3)	0.64
CD49d	0.9 (0.6–1.3)	0.03	0.9 (0.7–1.4)	0.70	0.9 (0.7–1.3)	0.01
CD62L	6.3 (4.1–8.1)	0.64	6.4 (2.0–11.3)	0.006*	5.5 (1.6–9.3)	0.002*
CD64	1.9 (1.2–5.7)	0.50	1.8 (1.1–4.3)	0.21	2.1 (1.0–3.3)	0.41
CD66b	4 (2.5–6.6)	0.02	4.3 (3.5–9.3)	0.63	4.6 (2.7–6.5)	0.08
HLA-DR	0.4 (0.4–0.5)	0.03	0.4 (0.3–0.7)	0.92	0.4 (0.3–0.6)	0.03

Values are expressed as median (range).

p: Comparison between normal pregnant women and SGA.

p^a: Comparison between SGA and preeclampsia.

p^b: Comparison between preeclampsia and normal pregnant women.

*Statistically significant (p < 0.01).

Table IV.  Mean channel brightness of labeled antibody binding to peripheral blood monocytes.

Surface marker	Normal pregnant (n = 33)	p	SGA (n = 33)	p^a	Preeclampsia (n = 33)	p^b
CD11b	5.7 (3.4–9.3)	< 0.001*	8.6 (3.7–15.2)	0.10	7.4 (3.9–22.5)	0.002*
CD14	44.7 (33.8–58.9)	0.13	46.8 (30.3–64.2)	0.14	45.4 (32.8–62.4)	0.88
CD15	2.1 (1.1–4.0)	0.06	1.7 (0.9–3.8)	0.17	2.1 (0.8–10.2)	0.80
CD16	0.9 (0.6–1.7)	0.61	0.9 (0.3–2.1)	0.92	0.9 (0.6–2.8)	0.53
CD18	16.4 (12.3–22.4)	0.04	17.9 (12.6–28.4)	0.04	16.1 (9.6–24.3)	0.95
CD49d	3.5 (2.2–5.3)	0.22	3.2 (2.0–4.4)	0.56	3.1 (2.2–5.2)	0.06
CD62L	6.2 (3.9–9.3)	0.02	7.1 (3.0–12.8)	0.08	6.4 (2.5–10.7)	0.51
CD64	13.3 (8.8–23.6)	0.30	12.5 (5.9–24.8)	0.52	12.7 (6.7–19.3)	0.62
CD66b	0.7 (0.5–1.4)	0.80	0.8 (0.3–1.1)	0.17	0.8 (0.6–1.5)	0.04
HLA-DR	9.4 (4.1–20.6)	0.15	11 (3.5–29.3)	0.97	10.8 (3.5–22.1)	0.34

Values are expressed as median (range).

p: Comparison between normal pregnant women and SGA.

p^a: Comparison between SGA and preeclampsia.

p^b: Comparison between preeclampsia and normal pregnant women.

*Statistically significant (p < 0.01).

Table V.  Mean channel brightness of intracellular DCFH-DA activated iROS at baseline and after stimulation with FMLP (oxidative burst) and stimulation index (ratio of iROS after stimulation over base line level) in peripheral blood.

	Normal pregnant (n = 33)	p	SGA (n = 33)	p^a	Preeclampsia (n = 33)	p^b
Granulocytes
Basal	4.5 (1.5–11.7)	0.17	5.7 (2.1–38.3)	0.33	6.4 (2.3–13.9)	0.01
Oxidative burst	18.6 (3.7–34.4)	0.03	21.3 (5.8–186.8)	0.02	31.2 (9.4–66.8)	<0.001*
Stimulation index	3.6 (1.4–5.5)	0.03	4.1 (2.1–5.9)	0.03	4.4 (1.6–9.6)	<0.001*
Monocytes
Basal	4.6 (2.4–9.9)	0.08	4.9 (2.5–12.4)	0.003*	7.8 (2.9–12.2)	<0.001*
Oxidative burst	4.6 (2.5–11.4)	0.02	6.4 (2.9–22.0)	0.002*	10.7 (4.1–23.1)	<0.001*
Stimulation index	1.3 (0.7–2.1)	0.02	1.4 (0.7–2.1)	0.10	1.5 (0.9–2.5)	<0.001*

Values are expressed as median (range).

p: Comparison between normal pregnant women and SGA.

p^a: Comparison between SGA and preeclampsia.

p^b: Comparison between preeclampsia and normal pregnant women.

*Statistically significant (p < 0.01).