Pregnancy-associated changes in peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and serum cytokine concentrations in healthy women.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of healthy pregnancy on peripheral blood T-cell subpopulations and serum T helper type 1 and 2 cytokines and transforming growth factor-beta1 concentrations.


METHODS
Thirty healthy, pregnant women (study group, mean+/-SD: 13+/-1.6 weeks of gestation) and 30 age-matched women with regular menstrual cycles (control group) participated in the study. Peripheral blood CD4+, CD8+ and CD16+56+ (natural killer) percentages and serum interferon-gamma, interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-beta1 concentrations were measured by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
In the study group, all pregnancies were maintained until term, no complications occurred, and the infants were delivered successfully. Although the percentage of CD4+ T cells was not significantly different between the 2 groups, the percentages of CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells were significantly increased (p < 0.05 for both), and the CD4+:CD8+ ratio was significantly decreased in the study group as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Serum interferon-gamma concentrations were detectable in nonpregnant, nulliparous controls. However, pregnancy caused a severe decrease in serum interferon-gamma levels: they fell below the limit of detection. We also found increased serum interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-beta1 concentrations in the study group in comparison to the control group (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Healthy pregnancy causes immune deviation by increasing CD8+ T and natural killer cells, serum interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-beta1 concentrations and decreasing the CD4+:CD8+ ratio.
Kumru
Selahattin
S
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Firat University Medical School, Elazig, Turkey. skumru@firat.edu.tr
Boztosun
Abdullah
A
Godekmerdan
Ahmet
A
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000032:analysis; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
D016207:Cytokines; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1