EJMS

Abstract

Spontaneous abortion occurs in one of every five pregnancies. Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) parasites among many other reasons is accused as a cause of miscarriage. However, it is not subject to unanimity. The current observational cross sectional study aims to shed more light on the potential role of T. gondii infection and the accompanying placental inflammation and Fas ligand (FasL) as a cause of spontaneous abortion in pregnant women from Benha City, Egypt. Sera and placental tissues from 37 women with spontaneous abortion and 25 women with normal delivery were tested for IgG and IgM anti-Toxoplasma antibodies, placental inflammation and FasL expression by ELISA method, histopathological examination of Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical examination, respectively. Out of 37 abortion cases investigated, 27/37 (73%) were found to be anti-T. gondii seropositive. While only 7/25 (28%) were found in the full term control group. All the T. gondii seropositive abortion cases showed placental villitis and intervillositis. While only two (29%) of T. gondii seropositive control cases show such inflammation. This significant difference was noticed only in anti-toxoplasma IgG seropositive cases but not in IgM positive. FasL expression was detected in all placental tissues of T. gondii positive aborted cases regardless the detected immunoglobulin type. While no FasL expression could be found in placenta of full term control group, even among the toxoplasmosis positive cases. Our study emphasizes the role of chronic toxoplasmosis as a cause of spontaneous abortion and chronic inflammatory lesion and apoptosis mediated by Fas/FasL reaction as possible mechanisms of abortion.