Parameters of Cell Immunity in the Maternal and UmbilicalCord Blood in Relation to Air Pollution

Overview

Background.
The study is a part of the project Pregnancy Outcome (Teplice Program) examining effects ofpolluted environment on the quality of reproduction in Teplice (high polluted) and Prachatice (control) districts.Selected parameters of cell mediated and humoral immunity in maternal and umbilical samples after delivery wereassayed.Methods and Results. Lymphocytes in 768 samples of maternal venous blood and 739 samples of umbilical bloodcollected in May 1994 - October 1997 were phenotyped using flow cytometry. Medical and personal questionnaireswere used to obtain data on clinical risk factors during pregnancy, health and life style of mothers, the course andprolongation of labour and newborn’s status. The percentages of T and NK lymphocytes in both umbilical andmaternal blood were associated with a number of variables, including the course of labour. After adjustment for theother predictors, the percentage of NK lymphocytes was found significantly higher in Teplice than in Prachaticesamples - in both maternal and umbilical blood.Conclusions. A part of the observed difference between distribution of NK and T lymphocytes can be attributedto living in the polluted district. To see effects of polluted environment, the association of seasonal difference inlevels of major pollutants with seasonal changes in lymphocyte phenotype will be analyzed.

Key words:
environment, pregnancy, flow cytometry, NK lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, umbilical cord blood.