Mitra Rafiee, Marjan Gharagozloo, Ataollah Ghahiri, Ferdous Mehrabian, Mohammad R Maracy, Shirin Kouhpayeh, Ina Laura Pieper, Abbas Rezaei
Journal: Iranian journal of immunology : IJI 2016;12(4):252-62
PMID: 26714417
BACKGROUND
Recurrent miscarriage (RM) affects 2-5% of pregnant women. Paternal lymphocyte immunotherapy is a common treatment for RM patients but the outcome has not been consistent. Therefore, combined therapy with other immunosuppressive drugs such as 1a, 25-dihydroxy-vitamin-D3 (vitamin D3) may improve the outcome.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the effect of vitamin D3 on the balance of two essential T cells subsets, T helper (Th) 17 and T regulatory (Treg) cells, which contribute to the immune tolerance during pregnancy.
METHODS
The expression levels of CD4 and forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) in Treg cells, and the expression levels of CD4 and IL-17 in Th17 cells, were evaluated pre- and 3 months post-immunotherapy in RM patients treated with a combination of paternal lymphocytes and vitamin D3 compared with RM patients receiving lymphocyte immunotherapy alone.
RESULTS
Vitamin D3 therapy decreased the frequency of Th17 cells in addition to reducing the Th17/Treg ratio in peripheral blood of RM patients compared with the control group (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Considering that RM patients have a higher Th17/Treg ratio in peripheral blood, vitamin D3 may be a candidate therapeutic approach in this disease.
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