International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Volume 93, Issue 2 , Pages 123-129, May 2006

Expression of CD28 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 at the maternal–fetal interface in women with unexplained pregnancy loss

  • Xipeng Wang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
    • ,
  • Zhengwen Ma

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurobiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
    • ,
  • Yan Hong

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
    • ,
  • Peihua Lu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Neurobiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
    • ,
  • Qide Lin

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +86 21 63200506 (Office), +86 21 53070702 (Home); fax: +86 21 63730455.

Received 14 October 2005; received in revised form 24 January 2006; accepted 25 January 2006.

Abstract 

Objective

To investigate the expression of CD28 and CTLA-4, two costimulatory molecules involved in T-cell activation at the maternal–fetal interface in women with unexplained pregnancy loss.

Methods

A total of 57 women, 39 with unexplained spontaneous abortion (SA) and 18 with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), were enrolled in the study. A high-resolution spectratyping analysis of fluorescent bands was performed to detect CD28 and CTLA-4 expression in decidual tissues.

Results

The mean expression of CTLA-4 mRNA was significantly higher in women with SA than in controls (P<0.05). Moreover, the expression of CTLA-4 was higher in SA patients with genotype AA and phenotype A+ (AA+AG) than in controls (P<0.01). The expression of CTLA-4 was not significantly different in patients with RSA and in controls. The expression of CD28 was significantly decreased in patients with RSA (P<0.01) and SA (P<0.05) compared with controls. The mean ratios of CTLA-4/CD28 were significantly higher in patients with RSA (P<0.01) and SA (P<0.05) than in controls.

Conclusions

This study suggests that an imbalance in CTLA-4/CD28 expression or suppressed T-cell activity at the maternal–fetal interface may confer susceptibility to unexplained pregnancy loss.

Keywords: Abortion, CD28, CTLA-4, Immunology

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PII: S0020-7292(06)00056-7

doi:10.1016/j.ijgo.2006.01.027

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
Volume 93, Issue 2 , Pages 123-129, May 2006

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