Allo-non-specific elevation of maternal killer cell activity in intrauterine growth restriction.

OBJECTIVE

In order to gain insight into the pathogenesis of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetus, we evaluated the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes towards fetal cells in pregnancies complicated by IUGR.

METHODS

We performed a cytotoxic assay using the maternal lymphocyte-derived lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells as the effector cells. Cord vessel endothelial cells were used as the target cells.

RESULTS

LAK cells in pregnancies complicated by IUGR demonstrated higher killer cell activities against IUGR fetus-derived endothelial cells compared with LAK cells from uncomplicated pregnancies against the same endothelial cells. However, when non-IUGR fetus-derived endothelial cells were used as the target cells, LAK cells of pregnant women with IUGR exhibited essentially the same activities as those of normal pregnant women.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that lymphocytes in pregnancies complicated by IUGR may have enhanced killer cell activities towards the IUGR fetus in an allo-non-specific way.