Membrane progesterone receptors in human regulatory T cells: a reality in pregnancy. (2nd February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Areia, A; Vale‐Pereira, S; Alves, V; Rodrigues‐Santos, P; Moura, P; Mota‐Pinto, A
• Is Part Of: BJOG. Volume 122:Number 11(2015:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1544
• Page End: 1550
• Publication Date: 2015-02-02
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; 618
• DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.13294
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-0328

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjo13294-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To provide evidence of the existence of membrane progesterone receptor alpha (mPR<italic>α</italic>) on regulatory T cells (Treg) in peripheral blood during pregnancy, postulating a possible explanation for the effect of progesterone on preterm birth.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Cross‐sectional study.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Tertiary Obstetric Department in a University Hospital.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Population</title> <p>Healthy pregnant women.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Treg cells from peripheral blood samples were studied by flow cytometry using multiple monoclonal antibody expression.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measures</title> <p>Evaluate the number and percentage of CD4<sup>+</sup>CD25<sup>high</sup>CD127<sup>low</sup>, the number and percentage of Treg cells among the total CD4<sup>+</sup> T cells, and the percentage and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of mPR<italic>α</italic> in that population, using several gating strategies.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>43 peripheral blood samples were collected from healthy women during pregnancy, whose median gestational age was 28.7 ± 7.1 (16–40) weeks. The percentage of CD4<sup>+</sup> in the total lymphocytes was 43% (32–51) and the percentage of CD4<sup>+</sup>CD25<sup>high</sup>CD127<sup>low</sup> was 4.8% (1.6–5.9), with only 45% (16–72) of those cells expressing the intracellular marker FoxP3 (Treg cell pool). We confirmed the existence of mPR<italic>α</italic> in that specific population because 8.0% (2.02–33) of the Treg cells were marked with the specific monoclonal antibody, with an mPR<italic>α</italic><sup>+</sup> MFI of 719 (590–1471).</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo13294-sec-0008" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>This research shows that Treg cells express mPR<italic>α</italic> during pregnancy, which might play an important role in immune modulation by progesterone.</p> </sec> </abstract>