title: Lymphocyte transformation with mitogens and antigens during normal human pregnancy: a longitudinal study.
abstract: In a longitudinal analysis of immunological changes in normal human pregnancy, twenty-two pregnant women were studied, with blood samples taken before pregnancy, during its course, at delivery, and 3-5 months after delivery. The blood samples were frozen successively, using a cryobiological freezing system, and were stored until the whole longitudinal series was obtained. The collected material for a longitudinal series was then thawed and tested in one seance. Lymphocyte transformation tests were performed with stimulation with the mitogens phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), concanavalin A (Con A) and the specific antigens tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), Candida albicans (CA), Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and streptokinase/streptodornase (SK/SD). No changes were found in PHA or in PWM responses, whereas there were significant changes in the Con A response, with lowest values in the middle of pregnancy. PPD, CA, SA and SK/SD responses all reached lowest values towards the end of pregnancy, with increases subsequently, after delivery. These findings seem to show that T suppressor function is increased and B-lymphocyte function decreases during the course of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Culture Laboratory, Institute of Pathology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Birkeland
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kristoffersen
mesh_terms: D002176:Candida albicans / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008934:Mitogens; D011247:Pregnancy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D013300:Streptokinase / Q000276:immunology; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008934:Mitogens; D014373:Tuberculin; D013300:Streptokinase