title: Characterization of neutrophil subsets in healthy human pregnancies.
abstract: We have previously shown that in successful pregnancies increased arginase activity is a mechanism that contributes to the suppression of the maternal immune system. We identified the main type of arginase-expressing cells as a population of activated low-density granulocytes (LDGs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in term placentae. In the present study, we analyzed the phenotype of LDGs and compared it to the phenotype of normal density granulocytes (NDGs) in maternal peripheral blood, placental biopsies and cord blood. Our data reveal that only LDGs but no NDGs could be detected in placental biopsies. Phenotypically, NDGs and LDGs from both maternal and cord blood expressed different levels of maturation, activation and degranulation markers. NDGs from the maternal and cord blood were phenotypically similar, while maternal, cord and placental LDGs showed different expression levels of CD66b. LDGs present in cord blood expressed higher levels of arginase compared to maternal and placental LDGs. In summary, our results show that in maternal and cord blood, two phenotypically different populations of neutrophils can be identified, whereas in term placentae, only activated neutrophils are present.
authors.affiliation: Uganda Virus Research Institute - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Aloysius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ssemaganda
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Mary's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kindinger
authors.affiliation: International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Human Immunology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bergin
authors.affiliation: Uganda Virus Research Institute - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Uganda Virus Research Institute - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Juliet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mpendo
authors.affiliation: Uganda Virus Research Institute - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Entebbe, Uganda.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ssetaala
authors.affiliation: Uganda Virus Research Institute - International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Entebbe, Uganda ; School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiwanuka
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Medicine, Hematology, Oncology and Pneumology, University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munder
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Mary's Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Tiong Ghee
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Teoh
authors.affiliation: Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kropf
authors.affiliation: Section of Immunology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001119:Arginase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000276:immunology; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D010641:Phenotype; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015415:Biomarkers; C504120:CEACAM8 protein, human; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D001119:Arginase