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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Suppressed DNA repair capacity of peripheral lymphocytes in pregnant women
J M Skoner1, J Sigmon, L L Larcom
1Greenville Memorial Hospital/Clemson University Research Cooperative, Department of Microbiology, SC 29634, USA.
The ability to repair potentially carcinogenic lesions was measured for peripheral lymphocytes isolated from women in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy and 6 weeks post-partum. Freshly isolated lymphocytes were damaged with 254 nm ultraviolet radiation and allowed to perform repair in their autologous plasma. DNA repair capacity during pregnancy was over 50% lower than that measured 6 weeks post-partum. No significant difference in repair capacity was observed among the three trimesters. Mitogen-stimulated DNA synthesis was also measured for cells cultured in their autologous plasma. There was no significant difference in thymidine incorporation between cells collected during pregnancy (1.02 +/- 0.17 cpm/10(6) cells) and cells collected 6 weeks post-partum (1.45 +/- 0.94 cpm/10(6) cells). The results are, however, consistent with alterations in the immune response during pregnancy.
The ability to repair potentially carcinogenic lesions was measured for peripheral lymphocytes isolated from women in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy and 6 weeks post-partum. Freshly isolated lymphocytes were damaged with 254 nm ultraviolet radiation and allowed to perform repair in their autologous plasma. DNA repair capacity during pregnancy was over 50% lower than that measured 6 weeks post-partum. No significant difference in repair capacity was observed among the three trimesters. Mitogen-stimulated DNA synthesis was also measured for cells cultured in their autologous plasma. There was no significant difference in thymidine incorporation between cells collected during pregnancy (1.02 +/- 0.17 cpm/10(6) cells) and cells collected 6 weeks post-partum (1.45 +/- 0.94 cpm/10(6) cells). The results are, however, consistent with alterations in the immune response during pregnancy.
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