title: Maternal cell-mediated cytolysis of CMV-infected fetal cells and the outcome of pregnancy in the guinea pig.
abstract: Cytolytic recognition of CMV-infected syngeneic fetal guinea pig cells by maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was suppressed late in pregnancies of uninfected guinea pig breeders with less than 25% conceptus loss. A small subset of less successful uninfected pregnancies with greater than or equal to 50% fetal wastage exhibited only partial suppression of cytolytic activity against CMV-infected fetal cells. Primary CMV infection of dams extending into early pregnancy induced augmented cytolysis of CMV-infected fetal cells, but not MA104 NK cell targets, throughout gestation and resulted in 70% loss of conceptus. Decreased suppression of cytolytic activity against CMV-infected fetal cells in uninfected pregnancy was also associated with runting of newborn pups, which was not as severe as that observed in congenitally CMV-exposed or CMV-infected pups. Congenitally infected pups were affected more than their exposed but uninfected litter mates. Lack of suppression of cytolysis of CMV-infected syngeneic fetal cells, whether spontaneous or CMV-infection-induced, appears to be associated with poor pregnancy outcome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Research Foundation, Cincinnati, OH 45229-2899.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Myers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008098:Litter Size; D008297:Male; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome