title: Enhancement of the expression of progesterone receptor on progesterone-treated lymphocytes after immunotherapy in unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The immunological mechanism of an effective immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes for unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is not yet clear. Previous studies revealed that progesterone plays an important role in maintaining normal pregnancy and lower expression of progesterone receptor (PGR) on lymphocytes was found in RSA. Therefore, it was of interest to investigate whether immunotherapy for RSA would be able to enhance the expression of PGR on lymphocytes of RSA.
  
  
  METHODS
  PGR expression on lymphocytes was analyzed with indirect immunofluorescence using flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no change of PGR expression on PBL of RSA between pre- and post-immunotherapy (P > 0.05), while in the presence of 10.0 micrograms/ml progesterone for 24 h, PGR expressed on PBL on post-immunotherapy was increased significantly as compared with that of pre-immunotherapy in successful cases (P < 0.05) and decreased in abortive cases (P < 0.05). Most PGR was expressed on both CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets. In successful cases, CD8+PGR+ subset of post-immunotherapy was found to be increased significantly (P < 0.05) in comparison with that of pre-immunotherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data in the present study suggest that immunotherapy for RSA induced a higher expression of PGR on progesterone-treated lymphocytes, which may be involved in successful pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nieda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeshima
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takedani
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tadokoro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Juji
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*; D019264:Adoptive Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone