Alteration of peripheral CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the change of peripheral CD4+CD25+ regulatory T lymphocytes in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia and to explore its role in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
Twenty-seven women with pre-eclampsia, 27 with normal third trimester pregnancy and 27 healthy non-pregnant women were recruited. Blood samples were taken and surface antigen CD4 and CD25 were labelled with fluorescence-conjugated antibodies. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells were analysed by flow cytometry, and the proportion in T cells and the amount of regulatory T lymphocytes were calculated.


RESULTS
The amount and the proportion of regulatory T cells were not significantly different among non-pregnant, normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia groups (p>0.05 for both). There were no significant differences in the proportion and the amount of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells between mild and severe pre-eclampsia subgroups (p>0.05 for both).


CONCLUSIONS
No significant change of peripheral regulatory T cells was observed in the current investigation, suggesting other mechanisms rather than CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells were involved in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.
Hu
Dongxiao
D
Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Chen
Yan
Y
Zhang
Wuwen
W
Wang
Hanzhi
H
Wang
Zhengping
Z
Dong
Minyue
M
D000328:Adult; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit