Variations in T-helper 17 and Regulatory T Cells during The Menstrual Cycle in Peripheral Blood of Women with Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion.
BACKGROUND
Disorders in immune system regulation may result in pregnancy abnormalities such as recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). This study aims to determine the ratio of regulatory T (Treg) and T helper (Th) 17 cells in unexplained RSA (URSA) women during proliferative and secretory phases of their menstrual cycles compared to healthy non-pregnant women.


METHODS
In this case control study, 25 women with URSA and 35 healthy, non-pregnant women were enrolled. The percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in participants peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The percentage of Th17 cells and their related cytokines in serum (IL-17A) were higher in the proliferative and secretory phases of the menstrual cycles of URSA women compared to the control women. However, a lower percentage of Treg cells and their related cytokines in serum, transforming growth factor (TGF) β1 and interleukin (IL)-10 were detected in the proliferative but not the secretory phase of the URSA group. The ratio of Th17/CD4+ Treg was higher in the URSA group than the control group. We observed an increased ratio of Th17/CD4+ Treg during the proliferative and secretory phases in URSA women.


CONCLUSIONS
The imbalance between Th17 and Treg cells during the proliferative phase of menstrual cycles in the URSA group may be considered a cause for spontaneous abortion.
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Nasrin
N
Sereshki
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Marjan
M
Gharagozloo
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Vajihe
V
Ostadi
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Ataollah
A
Ghahiri
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Mohammad Ali
MA
Roghaei
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al-Zahra Hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Ferdos
F
Mehrabian
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Alireza Andalib
AA
Andalib
School of Public Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Akbar
A
Hassanzadeh
Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Habibolla
H
Hosseini
Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Abbas
A
Rezaei
Menstrual Cycle; Pregnancy; Regulatory T Cells; T Helper 17