[Study on the relationship between regulatory T cells and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+) regulatory T cells (CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Tr) and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA).


METHODS
The expression rate of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Tr in peripheral blood was determined by double-label flow cytometric analysis. The samples were taken from 20 normal non-pregnancy women, 17 URSA women and 20 normal pregnancy women.


RESULTS
The expression frequency of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Tr cells was decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in URSA women [(11.9 +/- 2.7)%] than that in normal non-pregnancy women [(15.2 +/- 3.0)%], however, there was no significant difference between normal pregnancy women [(14.4 +/- 4.8)%] and normal non-pregnancy women (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that downregulation of CD(4)(+)CD(25)(+)Tr may be associated with URSA.
Qiu
Li-hua
LH
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital of Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200001, China.
Lin
Qi-de
QD
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D011247:Pregnancy; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2