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Normal human pregnancy is associated with an elevation in the immune suppressive CD25+ CD4+ regulatory T-cell subset.
- Source :
- Immunology; May2004, Vol. 112 Issue 1, p38-43, 6p
- Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- CD4<superscript>+</superscript> CD25<superscript>+</superscript> T regulatory cells (T<subscript>Reg</subscript>), suppress antigen-specific immune responses and are important for allograft tolerance. During pregnancy the mother tolerates an allograft expres- sing paternal antigens (the fetus) requiring substantial changes in immune regulation over a programmed period of time. We analysed whether immune-suppressive T<subscript>Reg</subscript> cells were altered during pregnancy and therefore might play a part in this tolerant state. The presence of T<subscript>Reg</subscript> cells was assessed in the blood of 25 non-pregnant, 63 pregnant and seven postnatal healthy women by flow cytometry. We observed an increase in circulating T<subscript>Reg</subscript> cells during early pregnancy, peaking during the second trimester and then a decline postpartum. Isolated CD25<superscript>+</superscript> CD4<superscript>+</superscript> cells expressed FoxP3 messenger RNA, a marker of TReg cells, and suppressed proliferative responses of autologous CD4<superscript>+</superscript> CD25­T cells to allogeneic dendritic cells. These data support the concept that normal pregnancy is associated with an elevation in the number of T<subscript>Reg</subscript> cells which may be important in maintaining materno-fetal tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- T cells
ANTIGENS
IMMUNE response
HOMOGRAFTS
WOMEN
MESSENGER RNA
DENDRITIC cells
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00192805
- Volume :
- 112
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Immunology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 13293192