Alteration of TH1 and TH2 cells by intracellular cytokine detection in patients with unexplained recurrent abortion before and after immunotherapy with the husband’s mononuclear cells

ObjectiveTo elucidate the possible mechanisms of immunotherapy for unexplained recurrent aborters using their husband’s mononuclear cells.DesignProspective clinical study.SettingInstitutional practice at the Outpatient Clinic for Infertility, Niigata University Medical Hospital.Patient(s)Fifty-two unexplained recurrent aborters were chosen as an experimental group.Intervention(s)Each patient was injected with her husband’s mononuclear cells as immunotherapy. Peripheral blood was obtained from the patients.Main Outcome Measure(s)The percentage of CD4-positive cells, TH1 cells, TH2 cells, and the TH1/TH2 ratio were analyzed in the patients before and after immunotherapy. The same analyses were performed in the successful and the unsuccessful group.Result(s)To date, 42 of the 52 patients have become newly pregnant. Of the 42, 34 patients have already delivered (successful group) and 3 are now pregnant, while the remaining 8 cases experienced repeated abortion (unsuccessful group). The percentage of TH2 cells significantly increased in the total patient population, while the TH1/TH2 ratio significantly decreased in the total patient population and in the successful group.Conclusion(s)These findings suggest that immunotherapy with the husband’s mononuclear cells for unexplained recurrent abortion induces a dominant state of TH2 cells in the patients.