Suppression of natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity in man by maternal and neonatal serum

the natural cytotoxicity of cells prepared from the blood of human neonates and women at the time of parturition was investigated, using a 4 hr 51Cr release assay and two established cell lines as targets. Although cord cells proved to be cytotoxic, the overall level was distinctly lower than that o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical and experimental immunology 1982-03, Vol.47 (3), p.742-748
Main Authors: Barrett, D S, Rayfield, L S, Brent, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Blood Physiological Phenomena
Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
Female
Fetal Blood - immunology
Fetus - immunology
Humans
Immune Tolerance
Immunity, Innate
Immunosuppression
In Vitro Techniques
Infant, Newborn
Labor, Obstetric
Male
Pregnancy
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:the natural cytotoxicity of cells prepared from the blood of human neonates and women at the time of parturition was investigated, using a 4 hr 51Cr release assay and two established cell lines as targets. Although cord cells proved to be cytotoxic, the overall level was distinctly lower than that of normal adult cells. Whereas adult cells from males gave higher levels of cytotoxicity compared with cells from females, this was not the case for cord cells. Cells from women in labour showed even lower cytotoxic values. Neonatal and maternal serum or plasma caused a profound inhibition of the cytotoxicity shown by adult cells when present during the assay or following preincubation of effector cells with serum. Cord cells were not suppressed by either autologous or allogeneic cord sera. The nature of these suppressive factors and their origin and ontogeny remain to be elucidated. It would appear that in the neonate, and possibly also in the fetus, natural cytotoxicity is largely suppressed by serum factors, both in mother and offspring. This could represent yet another example of immunological modulation in pregnancy.
ISSN:0009-9104
1365-2249