Abstracts Biological Sciences

Decidual inflammatory events associated with early embryo loss

by Katherine Maria. Merkouris

The maternal immune system exerts a key role in determining the outcome of mammalian pregnancy. It has been proposed that the high rate of early embryo loss (20 – 30%) in DBA/2-mated CBA/J female mice may be the consequence of a maternal non-speck immune rejection response to the allogeneic conceptus. Early embryo resorption in mice has been associated with the activation of natural killer like cells, macrophages, and production of TH1 inflammatory cytokines. To investigate and detect the earliest events in the activation of decidual NK cells and macrophages in initiating early embryo loss, gene expression analysis of two NK cell molecular markers, IFNgamma and perforin mRNA, and two macrophage specific cytokines, TNFalpha and NOS mRNA, was performed. Since IFNgamma is also produced by CD4+ T cells, cell labeling with an anti-NK antibody (DX5), cell sorting, and RT-PCR gene expression analysis were performed to confirm the source of IFNgamma mRNA in the decidua and spleen of DBA/2-mated CBA/J female. The role of the innate response during implantation, normal pregnancy, and early pregnancy loss will be discussed. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)