HONG-NERNG HOKUANG-HAN CHAOHSIN-FU CHENSHEE-UAN CHENMING-YIH WUYU-SHIH YANG2020-02-172020-02-1720010015-0282https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/460111Objective: To examine whether maternal immune responses during normal pregnancy are Th2 biased and whether there are specific changes when anembryonic pregnancy occurs. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a university hospital. Patient(s): We studied 32 pregnant women receiving elective abortions of normal pregnancies and 35 women with anembryonic pregnancies between 6 weeks and 10 weeks of gestational age. Intervention(s): Using the multilabeling capability of three-color flow cytometry, it is possible to measure intracellular cytokines and cell surface markers simultaneously to determine which cells are the cytokine-producing cells. Main Outcome Measure(s): We examined the extent and proportion of mononuclear cells expressing specific T-cell surface markers and cytokines, interferon γ, and interleukin 4 in the peripheral blood and deciduae. Secreted cytokines in the supernatants after 24-hour culture were also compared. Result(s): During the unstimulated status, the proportion of IL-4-secreting cells significantly exceeded that of IFN-γ-secreting cells in the peripheral blood and decidua in normal pregnancies and was significantly decreased when anembryonic pregnancies occurred. Consequently, the Th1/Th2 ratios were increased during anembryonic pregnancies. However, after 24-hour culture, only another Th2-type cytokine, IL-10, was markedly increased and exceeded IFN-γ secretion in cultures from both the peripheral blood and decidua in normal pregnancies. Conclusion(s): The decidual T lymphocytes are Th2 predominant. When anembryonic pregnancy occurs, this Th2 predominance disappears. ? 2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.[SDGs]SDG3cell surface marker; cytokine; gamma interferon; interleukin 10; interleukin 4; article; cell culture; cell population; cell secretion; cell specificity; cell surface; cellular distribution; clinical article; controlled study; cytokine production; decidua; embryo; female; flow cytometry; gestational age; human; human cell; immune response; mononuclear cell; pregnancy; priority journal; T lymphocyte; Th1 cell; Th2 cell; Cytokines; Decidua; Female; Fetal Death; Humans; Kinetics; Pregnancy; Prospective Studies; Reference Values; Th1 Cells; Th2 Cellsjournal article10.1016/S0015-0282(01)01999-9115914162-s2.0-0034809013