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Study on the Relationship Between Th17 Cells and Unexplained Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion
Author(s) -
Liu YuSheng,
Wu Li,
Tong XianHong,
Wu LiMin,
He GuoPing,
Zhou GuiXiang,
Luo LiHua,
Luan HongBing
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.2010.00921.x
Subject(s) - foxp3 , decidua , interleukin 17 , flow cytometry , conceptus , pregnancy , immunology , il 2 receptor , abortion , fetus , medicine , andrology , biology , t cell , cytokine , placenta , immune system , genetics
Citation Liu Y‐S, Wu L, Tong X‐H, Wu L‐M, He G‐P, Zhou G‐X, Luo L‐H, Luan H‐B. Study on the relationship between Th17 cells and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65: 503–511 Problem What is the relationship between Th17 cells and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA)? Method of study CD4 + interleukin (IL)‐17A + T (Th17) cells and CD4 + CD25 bright Foxp3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells in peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry; IL‐17 concentrations in cell culture supernatants were quantitatively determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay; and IL‐17A positive cells in decidua tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry. Results The proportion of Th17 cells and IL‐17A concentrations was both significantly higher in patients with URSA than in normal early pregnant (NEP) and non‐pregnant (NP) patients, Treg frequencies were significantly lower in patients with URSA than in NEP patients, and the ratio of Th17 to Treg was significantly higher in the URSA group than in the other two. Additionally, the percentage of IL‐17A cells in deciduas was significantly higher in patients with URSA than in NEP patients. Conclusions Human Th17 cells may play a major role in rejecting conceptus antigens and therefore may be harmful to the maintenance of pregnancy. The data also suggest that Treg cells are beneficial to pregnancy. There may exist a balance of Th17/Treg in normal pregnancy.