MIXED MATERNAL PATERNAL LYMPHOCYTE-CULTURES BEFORE AND AFTER IMMUNOTHERAPY FOR RECURRENT SPONTANEOUS-ABORTIONS

PROBLEM: The increased reactivity of maternal lymphocytes in reciproca l mixed-maternal-paternal lymphocyte cultures (MMPLC), observed in the presence of control serum after immunotherapy, suggests that immuniza tion with paternal lymphocytes may induce a highly significant cell me diated immune response in specifically alloactivated maternal lymphocy tes. METHOD: Reciprocal one-way MMPLC were set up with responding mate rnal or paternal lymphocytes and mitomycin C-treated stimulating lymph ocytes. Cultures were see up for 6 days in the presence of 15% materna l or control serum. The degree of iymphocyte stimulation was measured by tritiated thymidine uptake. RESULTS: Ln maternal serum, after immun otherapy, a highly significant blocking effect on MMPLC was observed i n both directions. The extent of the blocking effect in maternal serum and the stimulation in control serum was much higher, after immunothe rapy, in two cases of abortions, as compared to cases with normal preg nancy outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of cases is very small , it may be that in abortions, in the presence of maternal serum, dist urbances in the balance of cytokines or/and specific antibodies could have cytotoxic effects on MMPLC and down regulate, or ''block'' the sp ecific response. For a possibly better utilization of the MMPLC test i n the prediction of pregnancy outcome after immunotherapy, it may be i mportant to examine specific antibodies in maternal serum, to investig ate specifically induced cytokines in MMPLC and to evaluate T cell sub sets in MMPLC in the presence of maternal and control serum.