Cytokine Profile of Mouse Vaginal and Uterus Lymphocytes at Estrus and Diestrus

Abstract

It is known that sex hormones regulate IgA and IgG levels in the female reproductive tract. Moreover, antigen presentation by uterine and vaginal epithelial cells is also under strict hormonal control. The effect of the estrous cycle on cytokine secretion by vaginal and uterine lymphoid cells has been examined in mice using simultaneous staining for cytoplasmic cytokines and surface markers after ex vivo culture with PMA/ionomycin in the presence of Brefeldin A, and flow cytometry analysis. Two different mice strains, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, were used. The most relevant finding was the increase in the proportion of vaginal cells secreting IFN-g at diestrus in both strains of mice. Other cytokines (IL-2 and IL-4) as well as some T cell subsets seemed to be modified in a strain dependent fashion. Data also suggest that NK cells are at least partially responsible for IFN-g secretion. Our data indicate that vaginal and uterus lymphoid cells isolated at diestrus were in vivo activated to secrete cytokines after ex vivo culture. IFN-g seems to be the key cytokine, since it increases in both strains of mice.

The effect of warm ischemia at uterus transplantation in a rat model

“…In order to circumvent potential bias due to differences in the estrus cycle phase that may influence immunological cytokine expression and immune cell subpopulation profiles (15), both donors and recipients were synchronized into pseudopregnancy. The pseudopregnant rat uterus typically exhibits macroscopic swelling and histology of decidualized endometrium, with the presence of mainly macrophages and few lymphocytes at constant numbers (16).…”

Activation of Natural Killer Cells by Probiotics

“…52,54 NK cells express a variety of chemokine-associated receptors such as CXCR1, CCR2, CCR7, CCR5, and CX3CR1. 55 The iNK cells are influenced by chemokines secreted by various peripheral organs such as the gut and liver, resulting in their migration to these same tissues (Fig. 1).…”

Impact of sex and age on bone marrow immune responses in a murine model of trauma-hemorrhage

“…Therefore, the increased amount of lymphoid cells in proestrus females may represent more differentiated lymphoid precursors. These cells may be released into circulation and migrate to the reproductive tract during the diestrus stage of the estrus cycle (27). With aging, this effect seems to be abrogated due to age-dependent alterations in the lymphoid compartment (20,24,33,34).…”