Immunogenetic Studies of Spontaneous Abortion in Mice: Iii. Non‐h‐2 Antigens and Gestation

Abstract

SUMMARY CBA/J (H‐2k) females, mated with DBA/2 J (H‐2d) or DBA/1 J (H‐2q) males, exhibit a high rate of fetal resorption. In contrast, when H‐2 identical CBA substrains (i.e. CBA/Ca and CBA/N) are used, this phenomenon is not observed. On the other hand, before mating with DBA/2 J males, pre‐immunization of CBA/J females with spleen cells coming from BALB/c J or (DBA/2 x BALB/c J) F1 males (and not from other H‐2d identical males whatever their Mls alleles) has significantly decreased the fetal resorption rate. Thus, immunization against determinants other than classical H‐2d (K, I, D, L) antigens (transmitted as a dominant character and different from Mls determinants) can elicit anti‐abortive effects. Furthermore, it was observed that the spleen cell endowed with the anti‐abortive effects was neither a T nor a B lymphocyte. In contrast, peritoneal cells were able to reproduce the phenomenon, indicating that it may be mediated by a cell of the macrophage‐monocyte lineage. Finally, a first gestation was substituted for allo‐immunization of CBA/J females. The anti‐abortive effects of a first pregnancy by BALB/c J males (and not by other H‐2k syngeneic or H‐2d allogeneic males) was observed in the course of a second pregnancy sired by DBA/2 J males. These data can be interpreted in terms of maternal recognition of an antigen present on both macrophages and trophoblast cells and necessary for a successful gestation, which is coded for by genes outside the K, I, D, L regions.

To drive or be driven: the path of a mouse model of recurrent pregnancy loss

“…Early studies suggested a high rate of non-pregnancy in DBA/2-mated CBA/J females (Clark, et al 1980). However, mothers of related CBA/J strains, CBA/Ca and CBA/N do not exhibit this phenomenon (Bobe and Kiger 1989). Investigators have noted that in DBA/2-mated CBA/J females, beginning around day 7 of gestation, there is a loss of cellular contact between decidual cells and cells of the ectoplacental cone (Gendron and Baines 1989).…”

Abnormal Expression of Trophoblast Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Antigens in Cloned Bovine Pregnancies Is Associated with a Pronounced Endometrial Lymphocytic Response1

“…As a high rate of embryonic loss in cloned pregnancies occurs concurrent with the initiation of intimate placental attachment, abnormalities in both placental development and fetomaternal interactions should be considered. Although maternal rejection of pregnancy is rare [23], it has been demonstrated in the mouse [24]. The possible role of the maternal response in causing pregnancy failure has been studied using interspecies pregnancies [25][26][27].…”

Adoptive Transfer of Paternal Antigen-Hyporesponsive T Cells Induces Maternal Tolerance to the Allogeneic Fetus in Abortion-Prone Matings

“…For many years, the most compelling animal model of immunologically mediated spontaneous fetal loss has been the murine (CBA/JϫDBA/2) mating combination, in which between 20 and 50% of the fetus is resorbed by gestational day 13 (15). The critical importance of this precise parental genetic combination and the ability to suppress fetal loss by preimmunizing females with BALB/c male lymphocytes or by prior mating to a BALB/c male (13,16) point to an immunological component that contributes to this fetal loss syndrome.…”