T-lymphocytes activation and expression of costimulatory molecules in human toxoplasmosis during pregnancy

ABSTRACT

The study was carried on 48 pregnant patients with positive sera for Toxoplasma antibodies [IgG, IgM] and 12 cross matched healthy control pregnant women. All studied cases were submitted to flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMNCs]; using monoclonal antibodies [MAbs] against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD28 and HLA-DR. Results revealed that, there was a significant decrease in CD4 and the expression of co stimulatory molecule CD28 on CD8 T lymphocytes, while the activation marker HLA-DR expression on CD4 T lymphocytes was significantly increased, but the changes in CD3 and CD8 T lymphocytes were insignificant