title: The role of regulatory T cells in preeclampsia.
abstract: Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder of unknown cause that is unique to human pregnancy affecting about 7-10% of pregnant women. CD4+CD25(bright) regulatory T (Treg) cells have been identified as a principle regulator of tolerance during pregnancy. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the change of peripheral CD4+CD25(bright) regulatory T lymphocytes in normal pregnancy and preeclampsia, and to explore its role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. We determined CD4+CD25(bright) Treg cells in the peripheral blood using flow cytometry and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3+) cells at the peripheral blood using real time PCR. 30 preeclamptic cases (group 1), 10 normal pregnancy subjects (group 2) and 10 non-pregnant healthy controls (group 3) were included. There was a highly significant decrease as regards Treg count and percentage in preeclamptic cases compared to normal pregnancy subjects (P < 0.001), decrease in preeclamptic cases compared to non-pregnant healthy controls (P < 0.001) and a significant increase in normal pregnancy subjects compared to non-pregnant healthy controls (P < 0.05). There was a statistically significant decrease as regards RQ of foxp3 gene expression in preeclamptic cases compared to normal pregnancy subjects (P < 0.001). There was no significant correlation between RQ and studied variables in preeclamptic cases (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that the number of Treg cells are decreased in preeclampsia, and this decrease may break the maternal tolerance to the fetus.
authors.forename: Neveen A Abedel
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hafeez
authors.forename: Mona El-Toukhy
authors.initials: Mel-T
authors.lastname: Fouda
authors.forename: Eman R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Abdel Gawad
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Assar
authors.forename: Amira I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Mansour
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit