Maternal serum uric acid concentration is associated with the expression of tumour necrosis factor-α and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in patients with preeclampsia.

We aimed to investigate whether there is a correlation between elevated serum uric acid (SUA) concentration and endothelial inflammatory response in women with preeclampsia (PE). On the basis of clinical and laboratory findings, patients were assigned to three groups: normal blood pressure (Control (Con)), gestational hypertension (GH) and PE (n=50 in each group). SUA concentration was measured by spectrophotometry, and serum tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining were also used to detect the changes in TNF-α and ICAM-1 expression in subcutaneous fat tissue. PE patients showed significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures compared with Con and GH pregnant women (P=0.02 and P=0.02, respectively). The changes of body mass index (ΔBMI) before and after pregnancy and 24-h urine protein were significantly different among the three groups (P<0.001). Maternal SUA, TNF-α and soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) levels were significantly increased in the patients with PE (P<0.05) compared with the other two groups. Scatterplot analysis revealed that elevated SUA concentration positively correlated with TNF-α and sICAM-1 in pregnant women. Moreover, vessels in subcutaneous fat tissues of preeclamptic patients showed intense TNF-α and ICAM-1 staining compared with Con and GH patients. The results support that, to a certain extent, elevated SUA concentration is significantly associated with inflammation of maternal systemic vasculature as indicated by increased TNF-α and ICAM-1 expression in women with PE.