Regulation of hamster splenocyte reactivity to concanavalin A during pregnancy

Journal Article · Fri Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Cell. Immunol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0008-8749(80)90201-4· OSTI ID:5008666

Weppner, W A; Coggin, Jr, J H

The survival to term of mammalian fetuses regardless of their expression of paternal or embryonic developmental antigens suggests that some alteration in the immune capabilities of a female occur during pregnancy. The immunocompetence of female Syrian golden hamsters during pregnancy was investigated with respect to the blastogenic response of spleen cells to the T-cell mitogen concanavalin A (Con A). The blastogenic response of spleen cells from pregnant hamsters during mid- or late gestation is 10% of that observed for spleen cells from age-matched, virgin female animals. The spleen cells from pregnant hamsters are not capable of suppressing the proliferative response of spleen cells from virgin females to Con A. However, the serum from pregnant hamsters, in comparison with serum from virgin female animals, is capable of reducing this mitogenic response. Extensive washing of the splenocytes from pregnant hamsters does reduce the degree of suppression. These results suggest that the hamster is an excellent animal model for the investigation of the mechanism(s) of immune regulation that operate during pregnancy.

• Research Organization: Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile
• OSTI ID: 5008666
• Journal Information: Cell. Immunol.; (United States), Vol. 54:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
AGE DEPENDENCE
LYMPHOCYTES
ANTIGENS
CELL CULTURES
FETUSES
HAMSTERS
IMMUNE REACTIONS
MITOGENS
PREGNANCY
SPLEEN CELLS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
LEUKOCYTES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
VERTEBRATES
550300* - Cytology
551000 - Physiological Systems