title: Expression of Fas/Fas ligand by decidual leukocytes in hydatidiform mole.
abstract: Complete hydatidiform moles are entirely paternally derived and, therefore, represent a complete intrauterine allograft that might be expected to provoke an altered maternal immune response compared with that of normal pregnancy. Uterine decidua contains a large leukocyte population, of which 10%-20% are T lymphocytes. Fas ligand (FasL) expression by placental trophoblast may induce apoptosis of Fas+ lymphocytes, thereby facilitating immune tolerance and survival of the molar trophoblast. Our previous studies have shown an increase in activated CD4+ decidual T cells in molar pregnancy compared with normal pregnancy. This study was designed to characterize and quantitate Fas/FasL expression by decidual leukocytes in complete and partial hydatidiform mole compared with that in normal early pregnancy using single and double immunohistochemical labeling (i.e., avidin-biotin-peroxidase and avidin-biotin-alkaline phosphatase). A significant increase was found in Fas and FasL expression by decidual CD4+ T cells in complete (Fas+, P = 0.0106; FasL+, P = 0.0081) and partial (Fas+, P = 0.0131; FasL+, P = 0.0051) hydatidiform moles, as was a significant decrease in Fas expression by decidual CD8+ T cells in complete (P = 0.0137) and partial (P = 0.0202) hydatidiform mole compared with normal early pregnancy. The implications of altered Fas/FasL status of decidual T-cell subsets in hydatidiform mole are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Pathology, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wongweragiat
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Searle
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bulmer
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006828:Hydatidiform Mole / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019014:fas Receptor