title: Aberrant ICOS+-T cell differentiation in women with spontaneous preterm labor.
abstract: Recent studies revealed appropriate differentiation of recent thymic emigrant (RTE)-regulatory T cells (Tregs) to be crucial for maintaining healthy pregnancy. Currently, the role of responder T cells (Tresps) is not known.
  
  
  
  Six-color flow cytometric analysis was used to detect differences in the differentiation of highly proliferative inducible co-stimulatory (ICOS)+-RTE-Tregs/Tresps and apoptosis-sensitive ICOS--RTE-Tregs/Tresps into mature naïve (MN)-, CD31+-memory and CD31--memory Tregs/Tresps in women with spontaneous preterm labor (sPL) compared to healthy pregnancy.
  
  
  
  Healthy pregnancy was characterized by an increased differentiation of ICOS+- and ICOS--RTE-Tregs, as well as ICOS+-RTE-Tresps via CD31+-memory Tregs/Tresps into CD31--memory Tregs/Tresps. Women with sPL showed an early interruption of RTE-Treg/Tresp differentiation. Instead, ICOS+-MN-Tresps and partly ICOS--MN-Tregs differentiated into CD31--memory Tregs/Tresps, causing a significant reduction of both ICOS+-Tregs and ICOS+-Tresps, but an increase of ICOS--Tresps within total CD4+-T-helper cells.
  
  
  
  Aberrant differentiation of ICOS+-T cells is associated with sPL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I (Nephrology), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kälble
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schober
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I (Nephrology), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schaier
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I (Nephrology), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Spratte
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fluhr
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. andrea.steinborn-kroehl@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinborn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000276:immunology*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C556692:ICOS protein, human; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
keywords: cervical insufficiency; immunosuppression; pregnancy; preterm labor; preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes; regulatory T cells