Assessment of immune responses to H-Y antigen in naturally inseminated and sperm-injected mice using cell-mediated cytotoxicity assays.
An in vitro cell-mediated cytotoxicity assay has been used to assess immunity to the male-specific H-Y antigen in female mice after either insemination with male cells at syngeneic natural mating or after injection with syngeneic sperm cell suspensions. Lymphocytes showing specific cytotoxicity for the H-Y antigen could be recovered from both spleen and lymph nodes of female mice injected with sperm. However, insemination of male cells at natural mating did not apparently prime cytotoxic cells against the H-Y antigen in either the spleen or para-aortic lymph nodes draining the uterus of female mice mated once or repeatedly (3-10 X) in the absence of pregnancy. These results are discussed in relation to the factors regulating the immune responsiveness of the female to inseminated antigens.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D007314:Insemination; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D013045:Species Specificity; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
D006182:H-Y Antigen