T-lymphocyte subpopulations in pregnancy.
T-lymphocyte subpopulations were evaluated in 44 pregnant women at different stages of gestation by means of monoclonal antibodies. A total of 32 healthy women of the same age served as a control group. OKT3-positive cells (more than 95% of the circulating T-lymphocytes) decrease markedly in pregnancy between the 14th and the 28th week. Such a decrease seems to be due to a specific lowering in the number of OKT4-positive cells (which seem to represent helper T-lymphocytes). OKT8-positive cells (which seem to represent cytotoxic-suppressor T-lymphocytes) show no meaningful alteration. Possibly due to helper decrease, maternal immunity is impaired between the 14th and 28th week.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000166:cytology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology