American journal of reproductive immunology and microbiology : AJRIM
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Am J Reprod Immunol Microbiol · Jul 1985
The effects of indomethacin administration during pregnancy on women's and newborns' T-suppressor lymphocyte activity and on HLA class II expression by newborns' leukocytes.
It has been previously shown that T lymphocytes from human newborns and pregnant women exert a suppressive activity when assayed on the PWM-induced B cell maturation. The mechanisms of the suppression have remained entirely unknown. Prostaglandin E2, known to trigger T-cell mediated suppressive activity, may be involved. ⋯ Moreover, the low expression of HLA class II antigens observed on normal newborn B lymphocytes and monocytes was corrected in newborns from indomethacin-treated mothers. Our results strongly suggest that prostaglandins may play a role in induction of TS activity observed in normal pregnant women and newborns and in the decreased expression of HLA class II antigens on newborns' leucocytes. Both phenomena could play a role in immunological interactions between mother and fetus.