INHIBITION OF CELL-MEDIATED MICROCYTOTOXICITY AND STIMULATION OF MIXED LYMPHOCYTE REACTIVITY BY MOUSE PREGNANCY SERUM

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Abstract
Blocking activity of mouse pregnancy serum was investigated using a well defined 1-way mixed lymphocyte culture and a cell-mediated microcytotoxicity test. Allogeneic (C57BL (H-2b) .times. CBA/Ca (H-2k)) and syngeneic (C57BL (H-2b) .times. C57BL (H-2b)) pregnancy and postpartum sera stimulated rather than inhibited the mixed lymphocyte response. The same sera were able to abrogate target cell killing by hyperimmune lymphocytes in a cell-mediated microcytotoxicity test. Although inhibitory activity was present in allogeneic and syngeneic 18 day pregnancy sera, indicating a nonspecific effect, only allogeneic postpartum sera had significant blocking activity when compared with the equivalent syngeneic group or the normal serum control. The specificity implied by this gained support from preliminary 3rd-party experiments. Blocking activity was found in primiparous and multiparous sera. Further evidence was provided for maternal serum-blocking factors which may operate to protect the conceptus against maternal cell-mediated immunity during pregnancy. They may act at the efferent rather than the afferent phase of the immune response.

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