Lnc-DC mediates the over-maturation of decidual dendritic cells and induces the increase in Th1 cells in preeclampsia.

PROBLEM: Preeclampsia is a severe pregnancy-related disease that involves an imbalance of the immune reaction, which is dominated by T helper1 (Th1) cells; however, the mechanism is unclear.

METHOD OF STUDY: We used flow cytometry, RT-PCR and western blotting to detect Th1 cells in the blood and mature dendritic cells, lnc-DC (a long non-coding RNA that is specifically expressed in DCs and can mediate dendritic cell maturation by phosphorylating STAT3) and p-STAT3 (phosphorylated transducer and activator of transcription 3) in the deciduas of normal pregnancies and preeclampsia patients.

RESULTS: We found that the expression of lnc-DC and p-STAT3 was increased in the deciduas of preeclampsia patients. The proportion of Th1 cells and mature dendritic cells was significantly higher in the preeclampsia patients.

CONCLUSION: These results suggested the hypothesis that the overexpression of lnc-DCs induces the over-maturation of decidual dendritic cells in preeclampsia patients and leads to an increase in Th1 cells.