ABSTRACT
Serum levels of the cytokine TNF (tumor necrosis factor) were determined in pregnant women during the first trimester and compared with levels in a control group of non-pregnant healthy women. A new immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) was used. In pregnant women we found a very low mean value of 2.5 pg/ml. The value was significantly higher 16.2 pg/ml in the non-pregnant group. This finding suggests suppression of macrophage activity which could favour the fetal allograft.
Subject(s)
Pregnancy Trimester, First/immunology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/analysis , Adult , Female , Humans , Immunity, Cellular , Immunoradiometric Assay/methods , Macrophages/physiology , PregnancyABSTRACT
In 11 pregnant rabbits we induced labor by parenteral infusion of Dinoprost (F2) (0.05 mg/min). By application of Fenoterol (0.01 mg/min) we had complete labor inhibition (P). Increasing dosages of Atenolol (T1 = 0.05 mg/min, T2 = 0.10 mg/min, T3 = 0.25 mg/min) followed. We registered systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure directly after punction of a femoralis, cardiac frequency, and labor by integration of action potentials of uterus. Cardiac frequency decreased with increasing amounts of Atenolol. Mean blood pressure fell significantly under Fenoterol medication. There is no further decrement by additional application of high dosages of Atenolol. A certain dosage of Atenolol could be defined, that does not increase labor activity under Fenoterol medication but does decrease cardiac frequency without influence on mean blood pressure.
