Peripheral large granular lymphocytes in normal pregnant and postpartum women: decrease in late pregnancy and dynamic change in the puerperium

Large granular lymphocytes (LGLs) have a variety of cytotoxic activities of NK, K and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, suggesting that their morphology is indicative of lytic function. In non-pregnant normal control women (n = 48), the number of LGLs was 0.30 +/- 0.14 x 10(9)/l and the proportion of LGLs in their peripheral lymphocyte fraction was 14.0 +/- 5.4%. The number and proportion of LGLs were significantly decreased in the third trimester of pregnancy (n = 32; 0.19 +/- 0.08 x 10(9)/l, P less than 0.01, and 11.7 +/- 3.8%, P less than 0.05), although an unexpected increase in the proportion of LGLs was observed in the first trimester of pregnancy (n = 24; 17.5 +/- 6.5%, P less than 0.05). After delivery, the number and proportion of LGLs increased rapidly to restore the non-pregnant levels and showed a marked increase in LGL count 4 months postpartum. These data suggest that lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity decreases in late pregnancy and increase dynamically after delivery to restore the non-pregnant state.