ALTERATIONS OF LYMPHOCYTE SUBSETS IN PATIENTS WITH RECURRENT FETAL WASTAGE POSITIVE FOR ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES TREATED WITH CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE

The alterations of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were sequential ly analyzed in patients with recurrent fetal wastage who were treated with the Chinese herbal medicine, Sairei-to (Chan ling-Tan) for positi ve antiphospholipid antibodies to analyze the underlying mechanisms of the therapy. The titer of antiphospholipid antibodies was significant ly decreased by administration of Sairei-to at one and two months afte r commencement of treatment and in the newly pregnant state compared w ith that before administration. The percentage of CD19-positive cells significantly decreased at two months after commencement of Sairei-to treatment and at the newly pregnant state compared with that before ad ministration in successful pregnancies. The percentage of CD4-positive cells significantly increased two months after commencement of Sairei -to treatment compared with that before administration in both success ful pregnancies and total cases. The CD4/CD8 ratio was increased signi ficantly after two months administration of Sairei-to in both successf ul pregnancies and total cases. Thus, it is suggested that the adminis tration of Sairei-to might induce the predominance of CD4-positive cel ls in parallel with the suppression of antiphospholipid antibodies. Mo reover, the suppression of CD19-positive cells (B cells) was induced b y administration of Sairei-to which might be involved in successful co ntinuation of pregnancy in the patients.