Expression and significance of dendritic cells and Th17/Treg in serum and placental tissues of patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Abstract

Purpose: Dendritic cells (DCs) are involved in immune system, which can also regulate the differentiation of T helper 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg). DCs and Th17/Treg participate in preeclampsia and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), but there is still lack of research in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). The aim was to evaluate the expression and significance of CD83⁺DCs, CD1a⁺DCs, interleukin-17 (IL-17) and IL-35 in serum and placental tissues of patients with ICP.

Methods: Thirty cases of mild ICP, 25 cases of severe ICP were selected, and 30 cases of normal pregnant women were selected as control group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were used to detect the expression of CD83⁺DCs, CD1a⁺DCs, IL-17 and IL-35 in serum and placenta tissues, respectively.

Results: There were more CD83⁺DCs, IL-17 expressed in placenta from women with ICP than in normal pregnancies, while the number of decidual CD1a⁺DCs, IL-35 was significantly lower in ICP than in normal pregnant women. The comparison within three groups had statistical difference (p < .05). Serum CD83⁺DCs and CD1a⁺DCs levels had no significance. IL-17 was higher in ICP, while IL-35 was lower.

Conclusions: DCs are involved in damaging the maternal–fetal immune tolerance by changing the phenotype and mature state, which may affect the differentiation of Th17/Treg to cause ICP.

Keywords:

• CD83⁺DCs
• CD1a⁺DCs
• Th17/Treg
• intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy
• immune tolerance

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Guoli Li (Head of Pathology Department, Yangzhou Medical College, Yangzhou University), Dr. Dan Lu (Head of Department of Obstetrics of Yangzhou Medical College, Yangzhou University) and Professor Xiangming Li (Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, Medical College of Yangzhou University) for their help in this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.