An immunohistochemical staining study for comparison of the T lymphocyte subgroups and the uterine natural killer cells in the decidua from spontaneous abortions and voluntary pregnancy terminations
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the role of the decidual total T lymphocyte count, T cytotoxic (Tc) and T helper (Th) sub-populations and the uterin natural killer (uNK) cells in the pathogenesis of the spontaneous abortions (SA) and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) cases.
Materials and Methods: We included the SA (n:29) and the voluntary pregnancy termination (n:10) cases which were undergone suction curettage between January 2003-January 2005 at the Ege University Obstetrics and Gynecology Department and their paraffin blocks were obtained.
Results: Median CD3+ T lymphocyte cell counts were not different between the control (314; 210-489), incomplete abortions (560;183-1602) and missed abortions (426;154-1102) groups (p:0.117). Median CD4+ Th cell counts were not different between the control (143; 87-203), incomplete abortions (236;77-735) and missed abortions (236;76-677) groups (p:0.441). Median CD8+ Ts cell counts were not different between the control (179; 105-279), incomplete abortions (239;90-820) and missed abortions (197;84-560) groups (p:0.530). Median CD56+ uNK cell counts were not different between the control (634; 554-1390), incomplete abortions (714;653-2165) and missed abortions (712;306-2108) groups (p:0.099).
Conclusion: Abortions and RPL are heterogeneous groups consisting of cases representing various pathogenetic origins. Aberrant immune mechanisms could be responsible for a subgroup if not in all cases. Further studies designed by classifying the cases karyotypically and utilizing more sophisticated methods (such as flow cytometry, gene expression and receptor activation analyses) are needed to elucidate the complicated role of the immune system elements in the spontaneous abortion cases.
Keywords
References
- Medawar PD. Some immunological and endocrinological problems raised by the evolution of viviparity in vertebrates. Symposium of the Society for Experimental Biology 1953: p. 320.
- Veenstra van Nieuwenhoven AL, Heineman MJ, Faas MM. The immunology of successful pregnancy. Hum Reprod Update 2003;9(4):347-57.
- Piccinni MP, Romagnani S. Regulation of fetal allograft survival by a hormone-controlled Th1- and Th2-type cytokines. Immunol Res 1996;15(2):141-50.
- Clark DA, Coulam CB, Daya S, Chaouat G. Unexplained sporadic and recurrent miscarrage in the new millennium: a critical analysis of immune mechanisms and treatments. Hum Reprod Update 2001;7(5):501-11.
- Burgoyne PS, Holland K, Stephens R. Incidence of numerical chromosome anomalies in human pregnancy estimation from induced and spontaneous abortion data. Hum Reprod 1991;6(4):555-65.
- King A. Uterine leukocytes and decidualization. Hum Reprod Update 2000;6(1):28-36.
- Blalock JE, Harbour-McMenamin D, Smith EM. Peptide hormones shared by the neuroendocrine and immunologic systems. J Immunol 1985;135(Supll 2):858-861.
- Henderson TA, Saunders PT, Moffett-King A, Groome NP, Critchley HO. Steroid receptor expression in uterine natural killer cells. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2003;88(1):440-9.
Details
Primary Language
Turkish
Subjects
Health Care Administration
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Semir Köse
*
0000-0001-7621-7503
Türkiye
Serap Karaarslan Takmaz
0000-0002-3185-0505
Türkiye
Murat Ulukuş
0000-0002-1728-4797
Türkiye
Osman Zekioğlu
0000-0001-9728-4385
Türkiye
Hüseyin Yılmaz
0000-0002-7513-7285
Türkiye
Publication Date
June 28, 2019
Submission Date
September 15, 2018
Acceptance Date
November 21, 2018
Published in Issue
Year 1970 Volume: 58 Number: 2