Abstract： Objective To investigate the effect of lipoxin A4(LXA4) on interleukin-1β(IL-1β)production of monocytes in maternal peripheral blood from severe preeelampsia women and its relationship with cytosolic free calcium([Ca2+]i)concentration. Methods Peripheral venous blood was drawn from 15 women with severe preeelampsia(SPE group)and 20 normal pregnant women (control group)who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College from October 2008 to May 2009.Monoeytes were obtained from peripheral blood with Ficolt density gradient centrifugation and then were suspended in RPMI-1640 culture supplemented with LXA4 at the final concentrations of 0,10 and 100 nmol/L,respectively.IL-1β levels in monocytes supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The cytoplasma[Ca2+]i of cultured monocytes and its variations affected by LXA4 were measured by laser scanning confocal microscope. Results (1) After incubation with different concentrations of LXA4(0,10,100 nmol/L)for 24 h,the levels of IL-1β in SPE group were(63.16±8.20)pg/L,(53.71±8.08)pg/L and(43.16±6.89)pg/L,respectively, indicating a significant inhibition effect on IL-1β level in a dose-dependent manner (P<0. 05). The IL-1β levels in the control group were (19.22±7.43) pg/L, (16.99±6.32) pg/L and (15. 18±5.24) pg/L, correspondingly (P>0.05). (2) Without LXA4, the [Ca2+ ]i concentrations of monocytes in the SPE group were higher than that of the control (1028.09 ± 160. 52 vs 323.61 ±87.86, P<0. 05). After treatment with 100 nmol/L LXA4, the [Ca2+ ]i concentration of monocytes significantly decreased in the SPE group (409.67± 116.73, P<0. 05). Conclusions In vitro LXA4 may inhibit the IL-1β production in monoeytes of SPE patients through decrease of the cytoplama [Ca2+ ]i concentration.