EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULINS (IVIG) ON PERIPHERAL-BLOOD B-CELL, NK-CELL, AND T-CELL SUBPOPULATIONS IN WOMEN WITH RECURRENT SPONTANEOUS-ABORTIONS SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON LFA-1 AND CD56 MOLECULES

Polyspecific IgG given intravenously at high dose (IVIG) are increasin gly used as an immunomodulating therapy in autoimmune diseases. Howeve r, very few studies have dealt with the action of IVIG on the expressi on of the leukocyte markers. During a clinical trial in which 13 young and healthy women received IVIG to prevent unexplained recurrent abor tions we have evaluated by flow cytometry the action of IVIG on 17 clu sters of leukocyte differentiation (CD). We found that the IVIG perfus ions (0.5 g/kg) induced an increase in the number of polymorphonuclear and monocyte cells in the peripheral blood. This effect lasted 8 days . The IVIG treatment had no effect upon T cell populations stained wit h antibodies specific for CD2, CD3, CD4, CD8 and on CD4(+)CD45RA(+), C D4(+)CD29(+), CD8(+)CD28(+), CD8(+)CD28(-) subpopulations. A weak decr ease in the B cell number was observed. The most striking phenomenon w as the decrease in the number of CD56(+) cells, whereas CD16(+) and CD 57(+) cells were unaltered. By the double-staining technique we showed that CD56(+)CD16(+) cells became CD56(-)CD16(+) cells. Moreover, IVIG decrease the expression level of the LFA-I molecule on monocytes and lymphocytes. The other adhesion molecules studied remained steady (CD1 1b, CD49d, CD49e, CD29, CD28, and CD62L). This study has shown that IV IG have no effect on 15 of 17 CD used but downmodulate two adhesion mo lecules playing a key role in the immune system. (C) 1994 Academic Pre ss, Inc.