[Analysis on the CTL-p frequency before and after immunotherapy for patients with unexplained habitual abortion]

The efficacy of immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes has been reported as a treatment for unexplained habitual aborters. The underlying mechanisms, however, have not yet been fully elucidated. We have previously reported the appearance of humoral blocking factors which inhibited the response of maternal lymphocytes to paternal cells. Although studies concerning changes in cellular immunity in vaccinated patients have been reported, further analyses are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. In this context, we have investigated the changes in cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursor (CTL-p) frequency in 10 patients who were unexplained recurrent aborters before and after vaccination with the husband's lymphocytes using a sensitive limiting dilution culture system. The results obtained were as follows; 1. The reciprocal number for the frequency of CTL-p in patients reacting to their husband's lymphocytes before immunotherapy was 93,620.0 +/- 61,893.3 and that after the immunotherapy was 33,860.0 +/- 33,578.8. The frequency, thus, significantly increased after the immunotherapy (p < 0.01). 2. The frequency of CTL-p reacting to an unrelated third party's lymphocytes showed no significant change before and after the immunotherapy even though the HLA antigens in the husband and the third party were the same. 3. The sera, which were collected after the immunotherapy, were observed to undergo a decrease in the frequency of CTL-p.