title: Interleukin-2 receptor concentrations in pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mechanism by which the maternal immune system tolerates the fetus during pregnancy is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study measured interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) concentrations in the serum of non-pregnant women (Group 1); healthy first trimester pregnant women (Group 2); pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage whose pregnancies again failed later in the first trimester (Group 3); and first trimester pregnant women with a history of recurrent miscarriage but whose pregnancies on this occasion went successfully to term (Group 4). An initial sample was obtained from all women in Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4. A further sample was obtained 4 weeks later from women in Groups 1, 2 and 4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The initial sample showed no significant difference in IL-2R concentrations between Groups 1 and 2. Concentrations were significantly higher in Groups 3 (667 +/- 244 U/ml; P < 0.003) and 4 (730 +/- 360 U/ml; P < 0.05) compared with healthy pregnant women (425 +/- 94). When the second sample was obtained concentrations in Group 4 were found to have fallen so that they no longer differed from Group 2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm earlier findings that a successful pregnancy is associated with significantly lower concentrations of IL-2R.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: MacLean
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2