title: Pregnancy alters the circulating B cell compartment in atopic asthmatic women, and transitional B cells are positively associated with the development of allergy manifestations in their progeny.
abstract: Maternal atopy is a risk factor for allergy. B cells are poorly studied in reproduction and atopy. We aimed to assess how pregnancy affects B cells in atopic women and whether B cells relate to allergic manifestations in offspring.
  
  
  
  Women with and without atopic asthma, pregnant and non-pregnant were enrolled for the study, and circulating B cells were evaluated by flow cytometry, using CD19, CD27, CD38, IgD, and IgM.
  
  
  
  Compared to healthy non-pregnant, atopic asthmatic non-pregnant (ANP) women presented increased B cell counts, enlarged memory subsets, less transitional cells, and plasmablasts. Atopic asthmatic pregnant (AP) and healthy pregnant (HP) women showed similarities: reduced B cell counts and percentages, fewer memory cells, especially switched, and higher plasmablast percentages. Transitional B cell percentages were increased in AP women with allergic manifestations in their progeny.
  
  
  
  Atopic asthmatic non-pregnant women have a distinctive B cell compartment. B cells change in pregnancy, similarly in AP and HP women. The recognition that AP women with allergy in their progeny have a typical immune profile may help, in the future, the adoption of preventive measures to avoid the manifestation of allergic diseases in their newborns.
authors: CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Center, Immunology, NOVA Medical School|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Catarina
authors: C
authors: Martins
authors: CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Center, Immunology, NOVA Medical School|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.|Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, CUF Descobertas Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Lima
authors: CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Center, Immunology, NOVA Medical School|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Glória
authors: G
authors: Nunes
authors: CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Center, Immunology, NOVA Medical School|FCM, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.|Imunoalergologia, CUF Descobertas Hospital, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Luís Miguel
authors: LM
authors: Borrego
mesh_terms: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D000072741:Maternal Inheritance / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; C000604811:CD19 molecule, human; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018127:Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7; C498154:CD38 protein, human; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1
keywords: B lymphocytes; atopy; flow cytometry; gestation; human; risk markers