Lymphocyte Calcium Influx Characteristics and their Modulation by Kv1.3 and IKCa1 Channel Inhibitors in Healthy Pregnancy and Preeclampsia

Citation Toldi G, Stenczer B, Treszl A, Kollár S, Molvarec A, Tulassay T, Rigó J, Vásárhelyi B. Lymphocyte calcium influx characteristics and their modulation by Kv1.3 and IKCa1 channel inhibitors in healthy pregnancy and preeclampsia. Am J Reprod Immunol 2011; 65: 154–163 Problem Calcium handling of T lymphocytes is altered in healthy pregnancy (HP) and preeclampsia (PE) compared to non‐pregnant (non‐P) women. We compared the activation‐elicited calcium influx in T lymphocytes in HP, PE and non‐P women and tested its alteration upon inhibition of Kv1.3 and IKCa1 potassium channels. Method of study The alteration of calcium influx was measured in major T‐lymphocyte subsets of 9 non‐P, HP and PE women with flow cytometry with or without treatment of cells with potassium channel inhibitors. Results The elicited calcium response was lower in HP compared to non‐P. In HP, calcium influx was sensitive to potassium channel inhibition in CD8 and Th1, but not in Th2 cells. In PE, calcium influx and its sensitivity to inhibition were comparable to non‐P. Conclusion There is a characteristic pattern of calcium influx in T lymphocytes and its sensitivity to potassium channel inhibition in HP that is missing in PE, raising the notion that T‐lymphocyte calcium handling may have a role in the characteristic immune status of HP.