Effects of pseudopregnancy on immunoglobulin-secreting cells in mice.
Pregnant mice characteristically show elevated numbers of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in their enlarged spleen and para-aortic lymph nodes. A comparative study of pseudopregnancy and syngeneic pregnancy in CBA/Ca mice was made to evaluate the role of maternal hormones in the induction of these changes. To induce pseudopregnancy, CBA/Ca female mice were mated with vasectomized males, the duration of pseudopregnancy induced in this way is 8-10 days. Serum progesterone levels were monitored periodically throughout pseudopregnancy using RIA technique. Changes were recorded in weight of the thymus, spleen and para-aortic lymph nodes, levels of serum IgG and IgM (ELISA-technique), and content of splenic IgG- and IgM-secreting cells (protein A plaque assay). Thymus involution was observed in pregnant and pseudopregnant mice. Patterns of change in the weight of the spleen and the para-aortic lymph nodes (PALN) were similar in pregnant and pseudopregnant mice until day 8. Ig-secretion in the spleen increased slightly day 5-8 in both pregnant and pseudopregnant mice, but to a lesser extent in the latter. No differences were observed in serum Ig levels between the two groups until day 8. A marked decrease in serum IgG levels and, to some extent, IgM levels between days 8 and 12 was observed in pregnant animals.
Sulila
P
P
Department of Zoophysiology, University of Uppsala, Sweden.
Lundkvist
U
U
Mattsson
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D011247:Pregnancy; D011555:Pseudopregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M