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The Frequency of Peripheral Blood CD 4+ CD 25high F ox P 3+ and CD 4+ CD 25− F ox P 3+ Regulatory T Cells in Normal Pregnancy and Pre‐Eclampsia
Author(s) -
Toldi Gergely,
Saito Shigeru,
Shima Tomoko,
Halmos Amrita,
Veresh Zoltán,
Vásárhelyi Barna,
Rigó János,
Molvarec Attila
Publication year - 2012
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.1600-0897.2012.01145.x
Subject(s) - foxp3 , il 2 receptor , peripheral blood , flow cytometry , eclampsia , immune system , andrology , immunology , pregnancy , regulatory t cell , medicine , endocrinology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , t cell , genetics
Problem Regulatory T cells ( T regs) play an important role in the development of pregnancy‐specific immune tolerance. We aimed to determine the peripheral frequency of a recently described T reg subpopulation, the CD 4+ CD 25− F ox P 3+ T reg subset, and its correlation with the conventional CD 4+ CD 25high F ox P 3+ T regs in normal pregnancy ( NP ) and pre‐eclampsia ( PE ) compared to non‐pregnant (non‐ P ) women. We also examined the proportion of the activated CD 4+ CD 25high F ox P 3high T reg subset within conventional T reg cells. Method We took peripheral blood samples from 20 PE , 20 NP , and 12 non‐P women and determined the frequency of the above T reg subsets using flow cytometry. Results The frequency of conventional CD 4+ CD 25high F oxP3+ T regs and activated CD 4+ CD 25high F ox P 3high T regs, but also that of non‐conventional CD 4+ CD 25− F ox P 3+ T regs was higher in NP compared to non‐ P women, but lower again in PE , reaching comparable levels to the non‐ P group. The ratios of CD 4+ CD 25high F ox P 3+ and CD 4+ CD 25− F ox P 3+ T reg subsets were constant in all three investigated groups. Conclusion Our results indicate that the frequency of conventional and non‐conventional T regs alters simultaneously, and the presence in circulation of both of these T reg subsets is similarly important in the adequate development of pregnancy‐specific immune tolerance.