Publication | Open Access
The immunostimulatory effect of T cells and T cell lymphokines on murine fetally derived placental cells.
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1987
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Lymphocyte DevelopmentImmunologyImmunologic MechanismMaternal Immune RecognitionT CellsImmunotherapyEmbryologyInflammationMaternal ImmunizationCulture ProliferatePlacental ImmunologyPlacental DevelopmentAutoimmune DiseaseAllergyIl 3AutoimmunityT Cell ImmunityPlacental CellsPlacental FunctionDevelopmental BiologyDevelopmental ImmunologyImmunostimulatory EffectMedicine
Maternal immune recognition of the fetus occurs during pregnancy, yet the conceptus remains unharmed, possibly because maternally derived lymphokines stimulate fetal placental cells, which are adherent, phagocytic, and responsive to CSF‑1. Lymphokine activity was isolated from IL‑2 and B‑cell growth factor and copurified with IL‑3 and CSF‑GM. Maternal T cells enhance fetal placental cell proliferation and phagocytosis, as shown by increased growth with T‑cell lymphokines, similar effects from recombinant CSF‑GM and IL‑3, and reduced activity when mothers receive anti‑thymocyte serum or anti‑Ly‑2.1 antibody.
Evidence for maternal immune recognition of the fetus can be found during pregnancy, yet the conceptus remains unharmed. Indeed, in some cases immunizing the mother with cells sharing histocompatibility antigens with the fetus is beneficial to fetal survival. This could be due to the effect of maternally derived lymphokines on placental growth and function, according to the immunostimulation hypothesis. We demonstrate here that placental cells in culture proliferate upon the addition of T cell-derived lymphokines. The lymphokine activity has been separated from IL 2 and B cell growth factor, and copurified with IL 3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (CSF-GM). Recombinant CSF-GM and recombinant IL 3 showed a similar effect. The placental cells that proliferate in culture are of fetal origin and are characterized by strong adherence, phagocytosis, nonspecific esterase staining, and response to the macrophage-specific colony-stimulating factor CSF-1. In addition, treatment of pregnant females with anti-thymocyte serum as well as anti-Ly-2.1 monoclonal antibody, at gestational times before Ly-2 antigen appearance in the fetus, leads to a reduction of the proliferative and phagocytic capacity of day 12 placentae. These results clearly demonstrate that maternal T cells act upon fetally derived placental cells to improve their proliferative and phagocytic potential, and thus provide evidence for the immunostimulatory role of these cells during pregnancy.