Alterations in humoral immune responses associated with recurrent pregnancy loss.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the reactivity of maternal antibodies with endometrium-derived antigens and to correlate their association with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).


METHODS
Prevalence study.


METHODS
Academic research center.


METHODS
Nulliparous women (n = 10), women with RPL (n = 15), pregnant women (n = 8), and multiparous women with a normal obstetric history (n = 20).


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Reactive antibodies were analyzed by Western immunoblot techniques and quantitated by densitometry.


RESULTS
Antibodies from women with RPL and multiparous women recognized antigens ranging from 10-120 kd on normal endometrium and endometrial tumors. Antibodies from most women with RPL (10/15) and from multiparous women (15/20) recognized 65-kd and 80-kd proteins in normal endometrium. Antibodies from women with RPL recognized 21-kd and 28-kd antigens (12/15 and 13/15, respectively) in endometrial tumors at a significantly greater rate (than did antibodies from multiparous women (5/20 and 8/20, respectively). Women with RPL had significantly lower levels of asymmetric IgG compared with controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Recurrent pregnancy loss may be linked with the failure to elicit asymmetric IgG and a unique immunologic recognition of endometrial antigens.
Eblen
A C
AC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky, USA.
Gercel-Taylor
C
C
Shields
L B
LB
Sanfilippo
J S
JS
Nakajima
S T
ST
Taylor
D D
DD
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values
D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007106:Immune Sera; D007074:Immunoglobulin G