Roles of Mifepristone on the Regulation of Cytotoxic Lymphocytes and Regulatory T Cells.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immunologic function of mifepristone, which acts as a contraceptive drug at the level of the decidua. SETTING: In our hospital, 60 women (less than 63 days of amenorrhea) volunteered to terminate their pregnancies by the uterine suction evacuation method. Immunohistochemically, the transcription factor forkhead box P3 and granzyme B staining were performed to identify regulatory T cells and cytotoxic lymphocytes (CLs) in all operational subjects. CD8 (cytotoxic T cells marker) and CD56 (natural killer cells marker) staining were further performed in order to characterize the CLs subpopulations. RESULT: A significantly increased number of CLs was found in the decidua treated with mifepristone. CONCLUSION: Mifepristone increases the expression of CLs in the decidua, and it provides new insights into the immunologic function of mifepristone as a drug used for pregnancy termination.