Primate Monocytes - CD14, CD16 - Ziegler-Heitbrock

Tissue factor expression on monocyte subpopulations during normal pregnancy

Abstract

Pregnancy is often referred to as a hypercoagulable state due to changes in the haemostaticsystem. Tissue factor (TF) is the initiator of blood clotting in vivo. The effect of pregnancyon monocyte TF expression was determined in a longitudinal case control study (89 pregnant, 39 non-pregnant). Using whole blood flow cytometry and CD14 as a monocytemarker, TF expression was measured on all CD14 positive, CD14Bright and CD14Dimcells. TF expression was significantly lower in pregnant women than in non-pregnant controlsubjects, on all CD14 positive cells at 20 and 35 weeks, on CD14Bright cells at 12 and 35weeks and on CD14Dim cells at 20 weeks. Additionally, we report that a higher percentage of CD14Dim than CD14Bright cells express TF. These results suggest that, in order to maintain homeostasis in haemostasis in an otherwise hypercoagulable state, monocyte TF expression is reduced during normal pregnancy.