Increased circulating paternal antigen-specific IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells during pregnancy in allergic and non-allergic women.
BACKGROUND
Allergic women have been reported to give birth to more children than non-allergic women, speculatively explained by the former's predisposition for Th2 polarization, possibly favoring pregnancy.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that allergy is associated with more Th2-deviated responses to paternal antigens throughout pregnancy.


METHODS
Blood samples were collected on six occasions during pregnancy and two occasions postpartum (pp). Of the 86 women initially included, 54 women had a normal pregnancy and completed the sampling procedures. Eleven women fulfilled the strict criteria for allergy (allergic symptoms and circulating IgE antibodies to inhalant allergens) and 23 were strictly non-allergic (non-sensitized without symptoms). The numbers of blood mononuclear cells secreting IFN-gamma and IL-4, spontaneously and in response to paternal alloantigens, were compared between the groups.


RESULTS
The numbers of spontaneously as well as paternal antigen-induced IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells were similar in allergic and non-allergic pregnant women on all occasions. A similar increase in the numbers of both IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells were found in allergic and non-allergic women during pregnancy, both regarding spontaneous and paternal antigen-induced secretion.


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not support the hypothesis of a more pronounced Th2-deviation to paternal antigens in allergic pregnant women compared with non-allergic pregnant women, as measured by number of cytokine-secreting cells. The observed increase of both IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells during normal pregnancy may be interpreted as a Th2-situation, since the effects of IL-4 predominate over the effects of IFN-gamma.
Persson
Marie
M
Unit for Autoimmunity and Immune Regulation, Division of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. marie.persson@imk.liu.se
Ekerfelt
Christina
C
Ernerudh
Jan
J
Matthiesen
Leif
L
Jenmalm
Maria
M
Jonsson
Yvonne
Y
Sandberg
Martina
M
Berg
Göran
G