Figure 2
Association between APC numbers and activation and maternal age or parity. (A) Data were segregated into 2 groups according to the median value for maternal age. Absolute numbers and CD86 expression levels (as percentage of positive cells and mean fluorescence intensity, MFI) on different foetal APC subsets were analysed as a function of maternal age in 31 women ≤ 25 years of age and 24 women > 25 years of age Boxplots illustrate the medians and the 25th and 75th percentiles. (B) Women were divided for parity as paucigravidae (1st and 2nd pregnancy) and multigravidae (≥ 3 pregnancies) as we previously observed that women at first and second pregnancy exhibited the same risk of malaria infection (Fievet, unpublished data). Absolute numbers and HLA-DR expression levels (as percentage of positive cells and mean fluorescence intensity, MFI) on different foetal APC subsets were analysed as a function of parity in 37 women undergoing first or second pregnancy and 18 multigravidae. Boxplots illustrate the medians and percentiles. P-values were calculated by Mann-Whitney U test. The significance limit was P < 0.05.