Yonsei Med J.  2008 Jun;49(3):366-371. 10.3349/ymj.2008.49.3.366.

The Role of CD4(+)CD25(bright) Regulatory T Cells in the Maintenance of Pregnancy, Premature Rupture of Membranes, and Labor

• Seol HJ
• Oh MJ
• Lim JE
• Jung NH
• Yoon SY
• Kim HJ

• KMID: 724250
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2008.49.3.366

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of the regulatory T cell subset in peripheral blood caused by gestational age and premature rupture of membranes (PROM) with or without labor to verify the role of regulatory T cells in pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated regulatory T cell distribution in the peripheral blood of pregnancies during the first trimester (group I, n=2), the second trimester (group II, n=12), and the third trimester without PROM and labor (group III, n=15). In addition, we evaluated pregnancies in the third trimester complicated by PROM (group IV, n=4) and labor with no complication by PROM (Group V, n=5). Comparisons were made with non-pregnant controls (group VI, n=4) using flow cytometry. RESULTS: During uncomplicated pregnancy, the CD4(+)CD25(bright) regulatory T cell population decreased with advancing gestational age (group I=3.35+/-0.47, group II=2.91+/-1.44, group III=2.81+/-1.36, group VI=2.52+/-0.71, p=NS). When we compared group IV with group III and V to evaluate the changes of the regulatory T cells with PROM, the CD4(+)CD25(bright) regulatory T cell population was significantly decreased in group IV compared to group III (p=0.001) and group V (p=0.026). CONCLUSION: The present results revealed that the regulatory T cell population increased in early pregnancy but decreased in pregnancies complicated by PROM, indicating that regulatory T cells might be related to the maintenance of pregnancy.

Keyword

Regulatory T cells; pregnancy; premature rupture of membranes

MeSH Terms

Antigens, CD4/immunology
Female
Fetal Membranes, Premature Rupture/*immunology/physiopathology
Gestational Age
Humans
Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit/*immunology
Labor, Obstetric/*immunology/physiology
Pregnancy
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory/*immunology/physiology

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Representative FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting) stainings for CD4+CD25bright regulatory T cells during the third trimester of normal pregnancy. (A) Plots for CD25 versus CD4 expression demonstrating CD4+CD25bright regualtory T cells. (B) Plots for Foxp3 vs CD25 expression of gated CD4+ T cells.

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  Fig. 2 Distribution of CD4+CD25bright regulatory T cells in peripheral blood by gestational age (p > 0.05).

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  Fig. 3 Distribution of CD4+CD25bright regulatory T cells in the third trimester with or without PROM. Regulatory T cells were significantly decreased in group IV compared to group III (A) and group V (B). The edges of the box plots represent the first and third quartiles, and the horizontal solid line represents the median.

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  Fig. 4 Distribution of CD4+CD25bright regulatory T cells in the third trimester with or without labor (p > 0.05). The edges of the box plots represent the first and third quartiles, and the horizontal solid line represents the median.

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