The alloreactivity of human colostral T lymphocytes. II. Specific control of maternal anti-fetal mixed lymphocyte reactivity.
Lymphocytes in human colostrum were examined for evidence of alloreactivity specifically directed against the paternal HLA haplotype. Such reactivity was detected using umbilical cord blood leukocytes as stimulator cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction, but the responses were reduced when compared to those of the same patient's blood lymphocytes. Analysis of this defect determined that only colostral lymphocyte responses to neonatal alloantigens were impaired and that the phenomenon apparently depended on a non-adherent fetal leukocyte for its expression. Attempts to demonstrate directly colostrum or cord blood-derived cell-mediated suppression failed, and the results suggest that a classical T suppressor cell is probably not involved. These findings indicate that human colostrum contains anti-paternal T cell clones but their reactivity is specifically abrogated when cultured with fetal leukocytes.
D003126:Colostrum / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007519:Isoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D010334:Paternity; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D007519:Isoantigens