Abstract:

Objective To investigate the role of eosinophil chemotactic factor (Eotaxin)/CCR3 and regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES)/CCR5 in immune tolerance of normal pregnancy and spontaneous abortion. Methods Decidua and chorionic tissues of 20 patients with spontaneous abortion (AP group) and 20 women with normal pregnancy (NP group) were collected. The expression of Eotaxin/CCR3 and RANTES/CCR5 in decidua and chorionic tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry, and linear correlation analysis was performed.ResultsThe positive expression rates of Eotaxin in decidua and chorionic tissues in NP group were significantly higher than those in AP group (75% vs 35%, P=0.011; 80% vs 30%, P=0.001), and the positive expression intensity in NP group was significantly higher than that in AP group (P=0.003, P=0.002). The positive expression rates of RANTES in decidua and chorionic tissues in NP group were significantly lower than those in AP group (40% vs 80%, P=0.01; 45% vs 85%, P=0.008), and the positive expression intensity in NP group was significantly lower than that in AP group (P=0.002, P=0.002). There was no significant difference in the positive expression rate of CCR5 in decidua and chorionic tissues between two groups (P>0.05), while the positive expression rates of AP group was significantly higher than those in NP group (P=0.018, P=0.029). There was no significant difference in the positive expression rate and positive expression intensity of CCR3 in decidua and chorionic tissues between two groups (P>0.05). In NP group, the expression of RANTES was positively related to the expression of CCR5 in decidua and chorionic tissues (r=0.679, P=0.001; r=0.478, P=0.033). In AP group, the expression of RANTES was positively related to the expression of CCR5 in decidua and chorionic tissues (r=0.610, P=0.004; r=0.620, P=0.004). There was no relationship between the expression of Eotaxin and expression of CCR3 in two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion Chemokines and their receptors Eotaxin/CCR3 and RANTES/CCR5 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of immune tolerance of pregnancy and spontaneous abortion.

Key words: chemokine, eosinophil chemotactic factor, CCR3, regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed andsecreted, CCR5, spontaneous abortion