ROLE OF CELL MEDIATED CD4+ AND CD8+ T-CELLS IN PREGNANCY LOSS

Igwe Chioma Ada*, Adias Teddy Charles, Eze Evelyn Mgbeoma and Nwachuku Edna Ogechi

ABSTRACT

Background: Early pregnancy loss is commonly associated with immunological dysfunction. Objective: Analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell expression in patients with pregnancy loss in Abia State, South East, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving women in their reproductive years. Study population was stratified into 3 groups and the CD4 and CD8 concentrations measured and compared among the three groups. Results: A total of 130 apparently healthy Nigerian women of child-bearing age were enrolled in the study. The study groups consisted of 70 women who had just lost a pregnancy, 30 women with normally progressing pregnancy and 30 nonpregnant women. The mean CD8+ cell count of the pregnancy-loss subjects was significantly elevated relative to the normal pregnancy subjects. The mean CD4+ cell count value of the pregnancy-loss subjects was, however, significantly lower than that of the non-pregnant control group. Conclusion: Pregnancy loss is accompanied by reduction in CD4/CD8 ratio.

Keywords: Pregnancy loss, CD4+ T-cell, CD8+ T-cell, CD4/CD8 ratio.