Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist induces down-regulation of the CD3+CD25+ lymphocyte subpopulation in peripheral blood.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether GnRH agonist could alter in vivo human immune cells and whether the alteration is related to the success of pregnancy in an in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program.


METHODS
Thirty-six infertile patients were enrolled under the long protocol of GnRH agonist (buserelin acetate) and superovulation with gonadotropin from our IVF-ET program. Peripheral B cells, NK cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and the expression of CD69, CD25, HLA-DR, and CD71 antigens on the T cells were serially examined by dual-color flow cytometry.


RESULTS
B cells, NK cells, CD8+ T cells, and CD71+ T lymphocyte subpopulations were not changed throughout the whole course of treatment. CD4+ T cell and CD25+ T cell subpopulations were significantly down-regulated when the GnRH agonist was used for approximately 2 wk. CD3+CD69+, CD3+CD25+, and CD3+DR+ lymphocyte subpopulations were increased at 7 days (during implantation) and at 14 days after embryo transfer in pregnant patients, but not in patients who failed to get pregnant.


CONCLUSIONS
The GnRH agonist had a transiently immunosuppressive effect on CD4+ and CD25+ T cells, but CD69+, CD25+, and HLA-DR+ T cells were activated during and after successful implantation.
Ho
H N
HN
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Chen
H F
HF
Chen
S U
SU
Chao
K H
KH
Yang
Y S
YS
Huang
S C
SC
Lee
T Y
TY
Gill
T J
TJ
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000187:drug effects; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000187:drug effects; D002064:Buserelin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000187:drug effects; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D011247:Pregnancy; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D002064:Buserelin; D017252:CD3 Complex; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D000099192:CD69 Antigens