Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2001, 194 (2)

Short Report

Changes in Maternal Peripheral T Helper 1-Type andT Helper 2-Type Immunity during Labor

TOYOHIKO KUWAJIMA, SHUNJI SUZUKI, RINTARO SAWA, YOSHIO YONEYAMA,
TOSHIYUKI TAKESHITA and TSUTOMU ARAKI

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8603

The percentages of Th1 and Th2 cells and the Th1:Th2 ratios in peripheral blood from 22 patients with a singleton pregnancy at 30 and 36 weeks' gestation, on admission for the spontaneous onset of labor pains, at 1 minute after placental delivery and on day 7 after delivery were determined using flow cytometry. The percentages of Th1 and Th2 cells and the ratio of Th1:Th2 did not markedly change during 30 weeks' gestation and 1 minutes after placental delivery. However, the percentage of Th2 cells had decreased significantly at 7 days after delivery. In addition, the Th1:Th2 cell ratios were significantly elevated on day 7 after delivery. Thus, the termination of pregnancy may not be associated with a change in maternal Th1:Th2-immunity.

Keywords —— labor; T helper 1-type immunity; T helper 2-type immunity

© 2001 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2001, 194, 137-140

Address for reprints: Shunji Suzuki, M.D., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, 1-1-5 Sendagi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan.