Document Detail


Pregnancy-induced fluctuations in functional T-cell subsets in multiple sclerosis patients.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20610493     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: During pregnancy, especially during the third trimester, multiple sclerosis (MS) disease activity is reduced. It is not known which factors mediate this disease amelioration.
OBJECTIVE: To study whether the frequency of two important T-cell subsets, T-helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T-cells (Treg), is altered in relation to pregnancy-induced MS disease amelioration.
METHODS: Each individual was tested longitudinally, after sampling of blood at timepoints before pregnancy, during the first and third trimester, and in the early post-partum period. Frequencies of Th17 cells were assessed after short (4 hours) re-stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes with PMA and ionomycin, followed by flow cytometry using CD4, CD45RO and IL-17A antibodies. To assess peripheral blood Treg frequencies, we used six-colour flow cytometry with antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD25, CD127, FoxP3 and HLA-DR, to specifically identify Treg.
RESULTS: Both MS patients (n = 9) and controls (n = 8) displayed unaltered Th17 frequencies during pregnancy. In contrast, circulating Treg frequency significantly decreased in MS patients (n = 15) during the first and third (p < 0.001) trimesters compared with the period before pregnancy. In the post-partum period, the frequency of circulating Treg again resurged back to near pre-pregnancy levels. In controls (n = 15) comparable frequency kinetics were observed in that post-partum a significant increase in circulating Treg frequency was detected compared with the first (p < 0.001) and third (p = 0.012) trimester.
CONCLUSIONS: Third trimester amelioration is not related to the fluctuation of circulating Th17 cells. Furthermore, a paradoxical decrease of immunosuppressive circulating Tregs can be observed during this phase, both in MS patients and controls.
Authors:
Rinze F Neuteboom; Evert Verbraak; Annet F Wierenga-Wolf; Marjan van Meurs; Eric A P Steegers; Christianne J M de Groot; Jon D Laman; Rogier Q Hintzen
Related Documents :
15167873 - Are elevated fetal nucleated red blood cell counts an indirect reflection of enhanced e...
6209703 - Immunohistochemical localization of pregnancy-associated plasma protein a in decidua an...
14629003 - Reproductive losses due to neospora caninum in a beef herd in argentina.
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article     Date:  2010-07-07
Journal Detail:
Title:  Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England)     Volume:  16     ISSN:  1477-0970     ISO Abbreviation:  Mult. Scler.     Publication Date:  2010 Sep 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-03     Completed Date:  2010-12-29     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9509185     Medline TA:  Mult Scler     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1073-8     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Case-Control Studies
Chi-Square Distribution
Disability Evaluation
Female
Flow Cytometry
Humans
Immune Tolerance
Immunophenotyping
Interleukin-17 / metabolism*
Linear Models
Longitudinal Studies
Lymphocyte Count
Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / diagnosis,  immunology*
Netherlands
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications / diagnosis,  immunology*
Pregnancy Trimester, Third / immunology
Severity of Illness Index
T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology*
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
Time Factors
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Interleukin-17

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Cognitive function in radiologically isolated syndrome.
Next Document:  Correlation of self-assessed fatigue and alertness in multiple sclerosis.