[Immunomodulating properties of sera in normal pregnant women]

The purpose of this study was to analyze the immunosuppressive properties of sera of normal pregnant women. Effects of pregnancy sera on the proliferation of mitogen (PHA, Con A, PWM)-induced lymphocytes were examined in healthy primiparas. The sera of normal pregnant women inhibited the proliferation of PHA- and Con A- induced both autologous and allogenic lymphocytes (obtained from nonpregnant and pre-eclamptic women), while remaining neutral towards the proliferation of PWM- induced lymphocytes in comparison with fetal calf serum. The basic immunomodulatory activity of the sera in pregnant women was contained in the heat-stable fraction.