Demonstration of HCG on the surface of maternal lymphocytes and discrimination of T and B cells by esterase cytochemistry.
Immunological functions pregnant women in the early fetomaternal relationship were investigated. Maternal T cell population as determined by the standard method gradually decreases as plasma HCG increases from between 5 and 10 weeks of gestation. In this study, the presence of HCG on the surface of maternal lymphocytes was detected by the direct immuno-histochemical method using enzyme-labeled antibodies: (1) HRP-anti human beta-HCG rabbit Fab', (2) HRP-anti alpha-HCG rabbit Fab', (3) HRP-anti human native HCG rabbit Fab'. Further (4) HRP-normal rabbit Fab', (5) HRP-anti rabbit IgG goat F(ab')2 and (6) activated HRP were used as staining controls. In order to determine whether the maternal lymphocytes masked with HCG were T or B cells, a modified technique of esterase cytochemistry was employed. The reaction of esterase cytochemistry on rosette forming lymphocytes by SRBC exhibited the features of T cells, as the lymphocytes display a dense localized positivity made up of one to four coarse granules.
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood*; D004950:Esterases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012397:Rosette Formation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D004950:Esterases