O. Heine

Immunogenetic and serological investigations in nonpregnant and in pregnant women with a history of recurrent spontaneous abortions

In the context of a controlled multicenter study on intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment of patients with a history of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA), a number of controversial immunological parameters were evaluated prior to and during pregnancy with respect to their diagnostic and/or prognostic significance. A total of 390 serum samples from 52 patients were investigated. Sharing of 2 or more HLA (A, B, DR, DQ) antigens was significantly more frequent in RSA couples than in controls. The rate of cytotoxic or Fc-receptor (FcR)-blocking antibodies was not significantly lower in RSA patients than in individuals with normal pregnancies. Both tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels and IgG anticardiolipin antibodies (IgG-ACA) were significantly increased in the patient group. While the occurrence of HLA sharing, cytotoxic/FcR-blocking antibodies and IgG-ACA did not correlate with the outcome of pregnancy, TNF-alpha levels were found to be significantly higher in patients with subsequent miscarriage than in those with successful pregnancy. IgG-ACA, if present, significantly decreased during the course of successful pregnancy but remained high in patients with subsequent abortion. It is concluded that the diagnostic and/or prognostic value of HLA sharing and cytotoxic/FcR-blocking antibodies has been overestimated while TNF-alpha and ACA levels are potential diagnostic markers and/or exhibit prognostic significance in subgroups of RSA patients.

Diagnostic and Prognostic Significance of Anticardiolipin Antibodies in Patients With Recurrent Spontaneous Abortions

PROBLEM: The role of ACA in unexplained RSA is controversial. In the present study, diagnostic and prognostic aspects were investigated.

Reduced Immune Phagocytosis of Monocytes from Neonates Whose Mothers Produce HLA Antibodies

Abstract. In vivo immune phagocytosis of neonatal monocytes was significantly correlated to the extent of maternal HLA immunization. Monocytes from all 15 neonates of mothers with HLA antibodies show reduced immune phagocytosis. In contrast, this holds true for monocytes from only 6 out of 13 neonates of mothers without detectable HLA antibodies. We infer the hypothesis that maternal HLA antibodies bind to mononuclear phagocytes of the fetus and of the fetal part of the placenta and thus cause inhibition of immune phagocytosis. Thereby, activation and secondary cell or tissue injury will not ensue and rejection of the fetal allograft is prevented in those pregnancies in which maternal alloimmunization occurs.

Influence of immunization with allogeneic spleen cells on the number of viable neonates in mice.

Female CBA/J (H-2k) mice mated with male DBA/2J (H-2d) mice show a high level of fetal resorption, which can be reduced by immunization with BALB/c (H-2d) spleen cells. The morphologically defined fetal resorption rate upon which evaluation of the outcome of pregnancy has previously been based in this strain combination is not equivalent to the rate of production of viable neonates.

Immunologische Untersuchungen zur Ursache des habituellen Abortes@@@Influence of immunization with allogeneic spleen cells on the rate of viable neonates in mice

SummaryFemale CBA/J (H-2k) mice mated with male DBA/2J (H-2d) mice show a high level of fetal resorption which can be reduced by immunization with BALB/c (H-2d) spleen cells. The morphologically defined fetal resorption rate upon which evaluation of the outcome of pregnancy has been based in this strain combination recently, is not equivalent to the rate of viable neonates.

Immunologische Untersuchungen zur Ursache des habituellen Abortes

Female CBA/J (H-2k) mice mated with male DBA/2J (H-2d) mice show a high level of fetal resorption which can be reduced by immunization with BALB/c (H-2d) spleen cells. The morphologically defined fetal resorption rate upon which evaluation of the outcome of pregnancy has been based in this strain combination recently, is not equivalent to the rate of viable neonates.