Differential distribution of CD4(+)CD25(bright) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T-cells in decidua and maternal blood during human pregnancy.
During pregnancy several maternal and fetal mechanisms are established to prevent a destructive immune response against the allogeneic fetus. Despite these mechanisms, fetus specific T-cells persist throughout gestation but little is known about the regulation of these T-cells. Recently, CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T-cells have been identified in human decidua. Human decidua forms the maternal part of the fetal-maternal interface and is subdivided in two distinct regions: the decidua (d.) basalis and the decidua (d.) parietalis. The aim of this study was to determine the distribution of specific T-cell subsets in d. basalis and d. parietalis in early and term pregnancy, with a special emphasis on the presence of CD4(+)CD25(bright) (regulatory) T-cells and CD8(+)CD28(-) (suppressor) T-cells. In addition, we compared phenotypic characteristics of decidua derived T-cell subsets with maternal peripheral blood (mPBL) T-cells and T-cells from non-pregnant controls. We identified significantly higher percentages of CD4(+)CD25(bright) and CD8(+)CD28(-) T-cells in decidua compared to peripheral blood suggesting an important role for these T-cell subsets locally at the fetal-maternal interface. The major differences in T-cell subset distribution and the presence of additional phenotypic differences between T-cells in d. basalis, d. parietalis and mPBL may reflect specific immunomodulatory functions of these T-cell subsets at these different sites during pregnancy.
Tilburgs
T
T
Department of Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands. t.tilburgs@LUMC.nl
Roelen
D L
DL
van der Mast
B J
BJ
van Schip
J J
JJ
Kleijburg
C
C
de Groot-Swings
G M
GM
Kanhai
H H H
HH
Claas
F H J
FH
Scherjon
S A
SA
D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D018106:CD28 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2