Activated T lymphocytes in pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to investigate the activation markets of T CD3(+), T helper CD4(+) and T cytotoxic CD8(+) cells, as well as, the populations of T naïve CD4(+) CD45RA(+), T memory CD4(+) CD45RO(+) and T regulatory lymphocytes in PE and healthy pregnant women.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients with PE and thirty healthy third trimester pregnant women were included in the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from peripheral blood, stained with monoclonal antibodies and estimated using the flow cytometric method.


RESULTS
The percentages of CD4(+)CD25(+), CD4(+)CD25(dim), CD3(+)HLA-DR(+), CD4(+)HLA-DR(+) and CD8(+)HLA-DR(+) cells did not differ between study groups. The population of T regulatory CD4(+)CD25(bright) lymphocytes was significantly lower in the group of patients with PE when compared with the controls (P < 0.01). The percentages of CD3(+)CD25(+) (P < 0.05), CD8(+)CD25(+) (P < 0.05), CD4(+)45RO(+) (P < 0.01) lymphocytes were significantly higher, while CD4(+)CD45RA(+) (P < 0.01) cells--significantly lower in peripheral blood of patients with PE when compared with the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The increased levels of T CD4(+)45RO(+) and T CD8(+) CD25(+) cells can suggest the activation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T lymphocytes in pre-eclampsia. It seems possible that the activation of T lymphocytes is associated with the deficiency of T regulatory cells in PE.
Darmochwal-Kolarz
D
D
Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Skubiszewski Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. dorotak@mp.pl
Saito
S
S
Rolinski
J
J
Tabarkiewicz
J
J
Kolarz
B
B
Leszczynska-Gorzelak
B
B
Oleszczuk
J
J
D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
D016207:Cytokines