[Changes of ADCC activity, IgG Fc receptor-positive T-lymphocytes, and lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of pregnant women].

In peripheral blood of human pregnancies at various gestational weeks, we have measured antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity by the microtest plate assays with sheep erythrocytes as target cells and population of T-cells bearing Fc receptors for IgG (T gamma-cells) as well as T, B lymphocyte and monocyte subpopulation by double rosette test. Twenty-two healthy adults served as control. The materials were divided into four groups by each 10 weeks period of gestation. The results were as follows: The ADCC activity, the population of T gamma-cells and T-cell subpopulation were significantly depressed as compared to the controls (p less than 0.001) in every period of pregnancy, while the relative number of B-cells was increased gradually from the second period to the term. The percent population of monocytes and double marker cells were increased significantly only in the first period of pregnancy (p less than 0.001). The percent population of null-cells was depressed significantly except the third period (p less than 0.01).