title: Alterations of lymphocyte subsets in patients with recurrent fetal wastage positive for antiphospholipid antibodies treated with Chinese herbal medicine.
abstract: The alterations of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were sequentially analyzed in patients with recurrent fetal wastage who were treated with the Chinese herbal medicine, Sairei-to (Chan ling-Tan) for positive antiphospholipid antibodies to analyze the underlying mechanisms of the therapy. The titer of antiphospholipid antibodies was significantly decreased by administration of Sairei-to at one and two months after commencement of treatment and in the newly pregnant state compared with that before administration. The percentage of CD19-positive cells significantly decreased at two months after commencement of Sairei-to treatment and at the newly pregnant state compared with that before administration in successful pregnancies. The percentage of CD4-positive cells significantly increased two months after commencement of Sairei-to treatment compared with that before administration in both successful pregnancies and total cases. The CD4/CD8 ratio was increased significantly after two months administration of Sairei-to in both successful pregnancies and total cases. Thus, it is suggested that the administration of Sairei-to might induce the predominance of CD4-positive cells in parallel with the suppression of antiphospholipid antibodies. Moreover, the suppression of CD19-positive cells (B cells) was induced by administration of Sairei-to which might be involved in successful continuation of pregnancy in the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takakuwa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid / Q000276:immunology*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D017152:Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal