Differences in Circulating Dendritic Cell Subtypes in Pregnant Women, Cord Blood and Healthy Adult Women

Different subtypes of dendritic cells (DC) influence the differentiation of naíve T lymphocytes into T helper type 1 (Th1) and Th2 effector cells. We evaluated the percentages of DC subtypes in peripheral blood from pregnant women (maternal blood) and their cord blood compared to the peripheral blood of healthy non pregnant women (control). Circulating DC were identified by flow cytometry as lineage (CD3, CD14, CD16, CD19, CD20, and CD56)-negative and HLA-DR-positive cells. Subtypes of DC were further characterized as myeloid DC (CD11c(+)/CD123(+/-)), lymphoid DC (CD11c(-)/CD123(+++)) and less differentiated DC (CD11c(-)/CD123(+/-)). The frequency of DC out of all nucleated cells was significantly lower in maternal blood than in control (P<0.001). The ratio of myeloid DC/lymphoid DC was significantly higher in maternal blood than in control (P<0.01). HLA-DR expressions of myeloid DC as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) were significantly less in maternal blood and in cord blood than in control (P<0.001, respectively). The DC differentiation factors, TNF-alpha and GM-CSF, released from mononuclear cells after lipopolysaccharide stimulation were significantly lower in maternal blood than in control (P<0.01). The distribution of DC subtypes was different in maternal and cord blood from those of non-pregnant women. Their role during pregnancy remains to be determined.