T cell awareness of paternal alloantigens during pregnancy

A Tafuri, J Alferink, P Möller, GJ Hämmerling, B Arnold - Science, 1995 - science.org
A Tafuri, J Alferink, P Möller, GJ Hämmerling, B Arnold
Science, 1995science.org
During pregnancy a semiallogeneic fetus survives despite the presence of maternal T cells
specific for paternally inherited histocompatibility antigens. A mouse transgenic for a T cell
receptor recognizing the major histocompatibility (MHC) antigen H-2Kb was used to follow
the fate of T cells reactive to paternal alloantigens. In contrast to syngeneic and third-party
allogeneic pregnancies, mice bearing a Kb-positive conceptus had reduced numbers of Kb-
reactive T cells and accepted Kb-positive tumor grafts. T cell phenotype and responsiveness …
During pregnancy a semiallogeneic fetus survives despite the presence of maternal T cells specific for paternally inherited histocompatibility antigens. A mouse transgenic for a T cell receptor recognizing the major histocompatibility (MHC) antigen H-2Kb was used to follow the fate of T cells reactive to paternal alloantigens. In contrast to syngeneic and third-party allogeneic pregnancies, mice bearing a Kb-positive conceptus had reduced numbers of Kb-reactive T cells and accepted Kb-positive tumor grafts. T cell phenotype and responsiveness were restored after delivery. Thus, during pregnancy maternal T cells acquire a transient state of tolerance specific for paternal alloantigens.
AAAS