title: OS007. The apoptosis markers are altered in CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) T regulatorylymphocytes in pre-eclampsia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a common obstetric syndrome affecting about 5-10% of pregnant women. The etiology and pathogenesis of this syndrome are not fully understood. There are many studies describing alterations in the innate and adaptive immune system which may have an influence on the onset of this disorder. It was suggested that the activation of cell-mediated immunity may play the key role in the etiology of pre-eclampsia. It was proposed that inappropriate activation of the immune system can lead to pre-eclampsia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to estimate the surface expressions of CD95(APO-1/Fas) antigen and the intracellular expressions of anti-apoptotic proteinBcl-2 and pro-apoptotic proteinBax in CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs) as well as the percentage of CD8(+)CD28(+) T cytotoxic cells in peripheral blood of patients with pre-eclampsia in comparison with healthy pregnant women in the third trimester of physiological pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four women with pre-eclampsia and twenty normal third trimester pregnant women were included in the study. The lymphocytes were isolated from peripheral blood samples and labelled with monoclonal antibodies. The expressions of surface antigens and intracellular proteins were estimated using flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The population of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg cells was significantly lower in peripheral blood of patients with pre-eclampsia when compared to normal third trimester pregnant women. The percentages of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg cells that express Bcl-2 protein were significantly lower in peripheral blood of patients with pre-eclampsia when compared to healthy pregnant women, whereas the percentages of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg cells with the expressions of Bax protein did not differ in both groups. Moreover, the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of Bcl-2 protein in CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg cells was significantly lower and MFI of Bax protein significantly higher in pre-eclampsia when compared to the control group. The percentage of CD8(+)CD28(+) T cells did not differ in both studied groups but MFI of CD28 antigen on T CD8(+) cells was significantly higher in pre-eclampsia when compared to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained results suggest that the deficit of CD4(+)CD25(+)FoxP3(+) Treg lymphocytes which is observed in pre-eclampsia maybe associated with alterations in apoptosis markers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Darmochwal-Kolarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tabarkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kolarz
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rolinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Oleszczuk