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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Adoptive transfer of transforming growth factor-β1-induced CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells prevents immune response-mediated spontaneous abortion

Tian Qiu A , Yincheng Teng A , Yudong Wang B and Liang Xu B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, 600 Yishan Road, Shanghai 200233, China.

B Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, 910 Hengshan Road, Shanghai 200030, China.

C Corresponding author. Email: xuliang19770323@126.com

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 28(11) 1788-1797 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD14503
Submitted: 22 July 2014  Accepted: 17 April 2015   Published: 14 May 2015

Abstract

The effects of adoptive transfer of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced regulatory T (Treg) cells in preventing spontaneous abortion in mice were investigated. CD4+CD25 cells were isolated from the spleens of pregnant CBA/J mice and induced into Treg cells positive for CD4, CD25 and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) ex vivo using interleukin (IL)-2 and TGF-β1. CBA/J mice were mated with DBA/2J mice to establish a model of spontaneous abortion and, on the first day of pregnancy, mice were injected intravenously with 2 × 105 either freshly isolated Treg cells or those induced with TGF-β1. After 14 days, the surviving and reabsorbed fetuses in both groups were counted, and serum cytokine concentrations were measured by ELISA. Adoptive transfer of CD4+CD25+ or TGF-β1-induced Treg cells significantly reduced the fetal resorption rate, increased serum IL-10 and TGF-β1 concentrations and decreased interferon-γ levels. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that adoptive transfer of TGF-β1-induced Treg cells prevents spontaneous abortion in mice by increasing the secretion of T helper (Th) 2 cytokines and decreasing the secretion of Th1 cytokines.

Additional keywords: forkhead box P3 (FOXP3).


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