PROBLEM: Pregnancy affects the maternal immune system and the clinical course of maternal diseases. Here we report the changes in the detailed lymphocyte subsets of helper T cells, suppressor T cells, CD5+ B cells, T cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta-positive T cells (T alpha beta cells), TCR alpha beta-negative T cell (T gamma delta cells), and other during and after pregnancy through to one year postpartum, and discuss the significance of the changes. METHOD: The absolute numbers of helper T cells, suppressor T cells, cytotoxic T cells, TCR alpha beta-negative T cells (T gamma delta cells), CD5- B cells, CD5+ B cells, and NK cell subsets were examined by two-color flow cytometry in peripheral blood from 51 healthy non-pregnant women, 106 healthy pregnant women, and 148 healthy postpartum women. RESULTS: In early pregnancy, the numbers of suppressor T cells and NK cells with strong cytotoxicity (NK+3 cells) increased, and the number of cytotoxic T cells decreased. In late pregnancy, the helper T cell and NK+3 cell numbers decreased. T alpha beta, CD5- B and CD5+ B cells decreased during pregnancy. After delivery, helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells increased from 1 to 4 months postpartum, and suppressor T cells increased at 7 months postpartum. TCR alpha beta-negative T cells increased at 4 to 10 months postpartum. Both CD5- and CD5+ B cells decreased further at 1 month postpartum, but CD5+ B cells increased markedly at 7 to 10 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that 1) early increases of suppressor T cells and NK+3 cells during pregnancy may be related to the mechanism to accept or reject the fetus in early pregnancy, respectively; 2) late decreases of helper T cells and NK+3 cells may be related to the maintenance of pregnancy: 3) postpartum increases of helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, TCR alpha beta-negative T cells (T gamma delta cells), and CD5+ B cells may be related to the postpartum aggravation of autoimmune diseases; and 4) the immunological effects of pregnancy remains until about 1 year after delivery.
PROBLEM: Pregnancy affects the maternal immune system and the clinical course of maternal diseases. Here we report the changes in the detailed lymphocyte subsets of helper T cells, suppressor T cells, CD5+ B cells, T cell receptor (TCR) alpha beta-positive T cells (T alpha beta cells), TCR alpha beta-negative T cell (T gamma delta cells), and other during and after pregnancy through to one year postpartum, and discuss the significance of the changes. METHOD: The absolute numbers of helper T cells, suppressor T cells, cytotoxic T cells, TCR alpha beta-negative T cells (T gamma delta cells), CD5- B cells, CD5+ B cells, and NK cell subsets were examined by two-color flow cytometry in peripheral blood from 51 healthy non-pregnant women, 106 healthy pregnant women, and 148 healthy postpartum women. RESULTS: In early pregnancy, the numbers of suppressor T cells and NK cells with strong cytotoxicity (NK+3 cells) increased, and the number of cytotoxic T cells decreased. In late pregnancy, the helper T cell and NK+3 cell numbers decreased. T alpha beta, CD5- B and CD5+ B cells decreased during pregnancy. After delivery, helper T cells and cytotoxic T cells increased from 1 to 4 months postpartum, and suppressor T cells increased at 7 months postpartum. TCR alpha beta-negative T cells increased at 4 to 10 months postpartum. Both CD5- and CD5+ B cells decreased further at 1 month postpartum, but CD5+ B cells increased markedly at 7 to 10 months postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that 1) early increases of suppressor T cells and NK+3 cells during pregnancy may be related to the mechanism to accept or reject the fetus in early pregnancy, respectively; 2) late decreases of helper T cells and NK+3 cells may be related to the maintenance of pregnancy: 3) postpartum increases of helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, TCR alpha beta-negative T cells (T gamma delta cells), and CD5+ B cells may be related to the postpartum aggravation of autoimmune diseases; and 4) the immunological effects of pregnancy remains until about 1 year after delivery.
Authors: Yi Xu; Federica Tarquini; Roberto Romero; Chong Jai Kim; Adi L Tarca; Gaurav Bhatti; JoonHo Lee; I Birgitta Sundell; Pooja Mittal; Juan Pedro Kusanovic; Sonia S Hassan; Jung-Sun Kim Journal: Am J Reprod Immunol Date: 2011-11-13 Impact factor: 3.886
Authors: Aryn A Price; Dana Tedesco; Mona R Prasad; Kimberly A Workowski; Christopher M Walker; Mehul S Suthar; Jonathan R Honegger; Arash Grakoui Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2016-09-06 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Jason C H Tsang; Joaquim S L Vong; Lu Ji; Liona C Y Poon; Peiyong Jiang; Kathy O Lui; Yun-Bi Ni; Ka Fai To; Yvonne K Y Cheng; Rossa W K Chiu; Yuk Ming Dennis Lo Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2017-08-22 Impact factor: 11.205