Premium
Fetus as an Allograft: Noncytotoxic Maternal Antibodies to HLA‐Linked Paternal Antigens
Author(s) -
INNES A.,
CUNNINGHAM C.,
POWER D.A.,
CATTO G.R.D.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
american journal of reproductive immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.071
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1600-0897
pISSN - 1046-7408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1989.tb00565.x
Subject(s) - antibody , antigen , pregnancy , human leukocyte antigen , isoantibodies , immunology , fetus , medicine , biology , andrology , genetics
A cellular enzyme‐linked immunospecific assay (CELISA) was used to monitor maternal humoral responses in human pregnancy. Noncytotoxic IgG antibodies to paternal lymphocytes were detected in sera from 6 of 20 normal first trimester primigravidae and 6 of 13 multiparae. No antibody activity against lymphocytes from their partners was detected in sera from any of the 15 nulliparous women. The differences in antibody response between primigravidae and nulliparae ( P = 0.024) and between multiparae and nulliparae (P = 0.005) were statistically significant. Lymphocytotoic antibodies to T‐ and B‐lym‐phocytes were present in sera from three multiparae, but from none of the women in the other two groups. Family studies indicated that the noncytotoxic pregnancy‐associated maternal antibodies were directed to HLA‐linked antigens ( P < 0.001). Evidence obtained using cell panels and platelet absorption suggested, however, that these antibodies were not directed to the currently recognized HLA specificities (HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, or ‐DR).