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Updated: May 7, 2026
Isolation of Leukocytes from the Murine Tissues at the Maternal-Fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Cutting edge: IL-10-producing regulatory B cells in early human pregnancy
Luise Rolle1, Maryam Memarzadeh Tehran, Anselm Morell-García
1Experimental Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Problem:
The function of IL-10 producing regulatory B cells (Breg) during gestation is unknown. Here, we aimed to understand their participation in early pregnancy.
Method:
CD19(+) CD24(hi) CD27(+) B cell frequency, measured by flow cytometry, increased with pregnancy onset but not in the case of spontaneous abortions.
Results:
B cells from non-pregnant women cultured with serum from normal pregnant women produced higher IL-10 levels than those cultured with serum from spontaneous abortion patients or autologous serum. CD19(+) -activated B cells from pregnant women strongly suppressed TNF-a production by CD4(+) T cells when cocultured. We identified hCG as an important factor regulating the number and function of Breg during pregnancy.
Conclusions:
Breg emerge as important players in pregnancy; they suppress undesired immune responses from maternal T cells and are therefore important for tolerance acquisition.
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