Decidual CD68+ HLA-DR+ CD163- M1 macrophages increase in miscarriages with normal fetal chromosome.

PROBLEM: Is an abnormal increase or decrease of M1/M2 macrophages observed in the deciduae of miscarriages with normal fetal chromosome (MN)?

METHODS OF STUDY: Deciduae of 18 MN and 26 miscarriages with abnormal fetal chromosome (MA) were obtained. Additionally, deciduae from 15 women whose pregnancies ended in induced abortions (IA) and endometriums at the mid-luteal phase from 19 non-pregnant women endomeriums of mid-luteal phases (EM) were obtained. Macrophages were analyzed by flow cytometry using monoclonal antibodies for CD68, HLA-DR, and CD163.

RESULTS

M1 macrophages, defined as CD68+ HLA-DR+ CD163- cells, increased in MN compared with MA or IA. M2 macrophages, defined as CD68+ HLA-DR- CD163+ cells, increased in the deciduae of MA and IA compared with EM. However, this increase was not observed in the deciduae of MN.

CONCLUSION

Our findings of phenotypic characters of decidual macrophages in MN provide additional evidence that M2 polarization is favorable for the maintenance of early stages of pregnancy.