T Cell Awareness of Paternal Alloantigens During Pregnancy
Anna Tafuri(Heidelberg University), Judith Alferink(Heidelberg University), Peter Möller(Heidelberg University), Günter J. Hämmerling(Heidelberg University), Bernd Arnold(Heidelberg University)
Cited by 571
Abstract
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-2Kb 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 Kb-positive conceptus had reduced numbers of Kb-reactive T cells and accepted Kb-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.