A. Lorenz et al., STRONG ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE RESPONDER STATUS OF THE FC-GAMMA-II RECEPTOR AND RECURRENT SPONTANEOUS-ABORTION, European journal of immunogenetics, 22(5), 1995, pp. 397-401
Several models exist for the aetiology and therapy of recurrent sponta
neous abortion (RSA). They are based in part on the assumption that an
increased materno-fetal histocompatibility results in an insufficient
maternal immunological recognition of the fetus, and thus renders the
maternal immune system unable to sustain the pregnancy. The involveme
nt of the Fc gamma II receptor (Fc gamma IIR) in RSA was suggested, si
nce Fc gamma IIR-blocking antibodies, present in normal pregnancies, c
ould not be found in patients suffering from RSA. The Fc gamma IIR is
known to be functionally and structurally dimorphic, which results in
a responder, respectively non-responder pattern. We used an in vitro p
roliferation assay to distinguish between Fc gamma IIR responder and n
on-responder phenotypes. In 29 RSA couples we found 97% (28/29) of RSA
patients and 100% (29/29) of their partners to be responders, whereas
50 fertile couples and a further 100 unrelated controls revealed dist
ributions of responder vs. non-responder of 73% vs. 27% and 70% vs. 30
%, respectively. These differences (RSA vs. controls) are highly signi
ficant (P less than or equal to 0.0001). Our results suggest further t
hat the Fc gamma IIR dimorphism might be involved in the pathogenesis
of RSA.