Repertoire and clonality of T-cell receptor beta variable genes expressed in endometrium and blood T cells of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion.
OBJECTIVE
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a relatively common disorder, the underlying causes of which are thought to be immunological in most cases.


METHODS
Expression profile and clonality pattern of T-cell receptor beta variable (TCRBV) genes in endometrium and blood of patients with RSA were investigated by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using BV gene-specific primers. Relative expression of each BV family was determined and clonal expansion of the over-expressed genes was assessed by analysis of CDR3 length polymorphism.


RESULTS
Compared to blood, relative expression of four TCRBV genes was significantly higher in the endometrium of RSA group. Over-expressed genes, except for TCRBV3, all had restricted and oligoclonal patterns of expression in the endometrium.


CONCLUSIONS
Endometrial T cells have a skewed TCRBV repertoire with restricted transcript heterogeneity, which is shared by both groups and minor variations observed in this pattern in RSA patients may reflect more recent and/or repeated exposure to nominal antigens or superantigens.
Dokouhaki
Pouneh
P
Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. pouneh_d@yahoo.com
Moghaddam
Rosa
R
Rezvany
MohammadReza
M
Ghassemi
Jamileh
J
Novin
Marefat Ghaffari
MG
Zarnani
Amirhassan
A
Akhondi
Mohammah-Mehdi
MM
Ostadkarampour
Mahyar
M
Mellstedt
Håkan
H
Razavi
Alireza
A
Jeddi-Tehrani
Mahmood
M
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000235:genetics; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D019674:Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta