Class I Antigens of the Major Histocompatibility Complex on Cytotrophoblast of the Human Placental Basal Plate

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Abstract
The lack of class I antigens of the major histocompatiblity complex (MHC) on syncytiotrophoblast was proposed as an explanation for the survival of the allogeneic fetus. These antigens were recently detected on nonvillous trophoblastic columns of the early human placenta. By using a combination of immunofluorescence techniques to identify trophoblast, transplantation antigens of the cytotrophoblastic shell present in the basal plate of normal full-term human placentae were studied. With the use of 2 different monoclonal antibodies to a common determinant of HLA (clones W6/32 and 61D2), it was shown that this subset of trophoblast does express class 1 MHC antigens. While these cells reacted uniformly with W6/32, only rare activity with 61D2 was found. Reactivity of polyclonal antisera to .beta.2-microglobulin correlated with that seen using W6/32. These results are similar to those recently observed in a subset of trophoblast of the aminiochorion to which the term metatrophoblast was given.