Premium
1140918040
Prevention of abortion in the CBAxDBA/2 model by intravaginal TGF‐β is associated with local recruitment of predominantly CD8+ Foxp3+ T cells to the genital tract
Author(s) -
Clark DA,
Fernandes J,
Banwatt D
Publication year - 2006
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.1600-0897.2006.00383_6.x
Subject(s) - foxp3 , il 2 receptor , cd8 , immunology , immune system , andrology , immunogen , biology , cd11c , semen , medicine , antibody , phenotype , t cell , monoclonal antibody , biochemistry , gene
Problem: Spontaneous abortions in DBA/2‐mated CBA/J mice can be prevented by an immune response to BALB/c, and CD4 + 25 + Treg cells as well as CD8 + T cells have been proposed to confer protection. Recently a 2 ng dose of intravaginal TGF‐β3 at the time of exposure to DBA/2 semen was shown to be effective. TGF‐β is known to facilitate development of Treg cells. Is there evidence for local Treg induction? Methods: The phenotype of cellular recruitment to the vaginal wall and uterus was established by immunostaining tissue sections from CBA/J females following intravaginal TGF‐β treatment. The phenotype of cells in vaginal washings 48 hr after TGF‐β was determined by flow cytometry. Results: Increased numbers of CD3 + , CD25 + , and CD11c + cells were found in vaginal mucosa with increasing doses of TGF‐β. A 2 ng TGF‐β3 treatment at the time of estrus recruited Foxp3 + cells to the vaginal lumen, and the majority of these were CD8 + ; CD4 + cells were also present, but expressed only low levels of CD25 and CTLA4. A 20 ng dose recruited predominantly CD4 + 8 + Foxp3 + cells. Conclusion: Induction of Tregs to semen‐associated DBA/2 antigens may prevent pregnancy loss in the CBAxDBA/2 model without the need for BALB/c as an immunogen. The Treg phenotype in the genital tract is compatible with additional members of the Treg family that recognize Class I MHC and associated paternal peptides and prevent abortions.