T Cell Awareness of Paternal Alloantigens During Pregnancy

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1995-10, Vol.270 (5236), p.630-633
• Main Authors: Tafuri, Anna, Alferink, Judith, Möller, Peter, Hämmerling, Günter J., Arnold, Bernd
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AIDS/HIV; Animals; Autoimmunity; B lymphocytes; Biological and medical sciences; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Cellular biology; Fathers; Female; Fetus; Fetus - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Genetic aspects; Genetics; Graft Rejection; H-2 Antigens - immunology; Histocompatibility antigens; HLA antigens; HLA histocompatibility antigens; Immune Tolerance; Immunobiology; Immunological tolerance; Isoantigens; Male; Males; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, SCID; Mice, Transgenic; Neoplasm Transplantation; Phenotype; Placenta - immunology; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Animal - immunology; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell - immunology; Rodents; Splenocytes; T cell antigen receptors; T cells; T lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Transgenic animals; Tumors
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.270.5236.630

During pregnancy a semiallogeneic fetus survives despite the presence of maternal T cells specific for paternally inherited histocompatibility antigens. A mouse transgenic for a T cell receptor recognizing the major histocompatibility (MHC) antigen H-2K$^b$ was used to follow the fate of T cells reactive to paternal alloantigens. In contrast to syngeneic and third-party allogeneic pregnancies, mice bearing a K$^b$-positive conceptus had reduced numbers of K$^b$-reactive T cells and accepted K$^b$-positive tumor grafts. T cell phenotype and responsiveness were restored after delivery. Thus, during pregnancy maternal T cells acquire a transient state of tolerance specific for paternal alloantigens.