The Role of an Infectious and Infammatory Factor in the Disturbance of Immunological Tolerance in Preeclamptic Women
Chronic villitis in preeclamptic women may be associated with the presence of an infectious agent. The histologic study demonstrates the signs of chronic villitis: multifocal and patchy lesions of villous tree are detected in 45% of preeclampsia cases. The presence of a microbial agent is always accompanied by villitis of different degrees. The growth of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus oralis, Propionibacterium acnes, Actinomyces oris, and Staphylococcus warneri is identified in chorionic vessels of placenta in preeclamptic women in 25% of cases. No growth of opportunistic pathogenic bacteria is identified in normal pregnancies. We suggest that microorganisms, including opportunistic pathogenic bacteria, may be triggers of inflammatory signaling cascades, and in some cases, they may lead to preeclampsia. Predisposing factors to preeclampsia and the development of chronic villitis may be the following: the stimulation of pattern recognition receptors, the rise of proinflammatory cytokines levels, oxidative stress, and the decrease of cell surface sialic acids.