[Evaluation of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood of recurrent spontaneous abortion patients].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25+ Tr) in the pathogenesis of recurrent spontaneous abortion.

METHODS

Peripheral blood samples were collected from 29 women with unexplainable recurrent spontaneous abortion (the URSA group) and another 20 with normal pregnancy (the control group). The percentage of CD4+ CD25+ Tr in the peripheral blood was measured by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

The rate of CD4+ CD25bright Tr in the URSA patients ([1.98 +/- 0.96]%) was significantly lower than that in the control group ([3.21 +/- 1.25]%, P < 0.05), while the percentages of CD4+ CD25+ and CD4+ CD25dim and the ratio of CD4+ CD25bright/CD4+ were not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

URSA might be associated with the decreased percentage of CD4+ CD25bright Tr, which plays an important role in fetomaternal immunologic tolerance.