Proportional change of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in decidua and peripheral blood in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients

Yang, Hui; Qiu, Lihua; Chen, Guangjie; Ye, Zi; Lü, Caijun; Lin, Qide

doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.03.037

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Volume 89, Issue 3 , Pages 656-661, March 2008

Proportional change of CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells in decidua and peripheral blood in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion patients

Hui Yang, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Lihua Qiu, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Guangjie Chen, Ph.D.
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Zi Ye, B.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Caijun Lü, B.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
Qide Lin, M.D.
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Correspondence to: Qide Lin, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 145 Shandong Mid Road, Shanghai, 200001, China (FAX: 86-21-63730455).

Received 20 September 2006; received in revised form 13 March 2007; accepted 13 March 2007. published online 01 June 2007.

Objective

To investigate the proportional changes of CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells in peripheral blood and decidua in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA) and normal pregnant (NP) women.

Design

Prospective, case–control study.

Setting

Large public hospital in a major city in China.

Patient(s)

Twenty-five URSA patients and 34 normal, early pregnant, control women.

Intervention(s)

Measurements of CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells in decidua and peripheral blood.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The proportion of CD4⁺CD25^bright regulatory T cells; the percentage of CD25^bright cells in the CD4⁺ T-cell population.

Result(s)

The proportions of CD4⁺CD25^bright T cells in both decidua and peripheral blood in URSA patients were statistically significantly lower than those in control women. Meanwhile, the percentage of CD25^bright cells in the CD4⁺ T-cell population in decidua was statistically significantly lower in URSA patients than in control women. The percentage of CD25^bright cells in the CD4⁺ T-cell population in decidua was statistically significantly higher than that in peripheral blood in control women, whereas the difference was not significant in patients who have URSA.

Conclusion(s)

Human CD4⁺CD25^bright T cells play a major role in tolerating conceptus antigens and therefore may contribute to the maintenance of pregnancy. The data suggest that CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells may be a novel target in URSA therapy.

Key Words: Spontaneous abortion, recurrent, regulatory T cells, decidua, pregnancy