title: No detection of interferon-gamma activity during early pregnancy in the mouse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interferons (IFN) have been shown to be secreted by the trophectoderm of implanting embryos in different species, in particular ungulates. In the pig, a clear-cut IFN-gamma production, the role of which is unknown, was found in the trophoblast at implantation. A murine counterpart to these IFNs has not yet been identified.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two sets of experiments were conducted to test the presence of IFN-gamma in the mouse conceptus. First, day 4 blastocysts were collected from Swiss mice and their antiviral activity measured in a microassay using mouse L 929 cells and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in the presence or absence of anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. In a second set of experiments, uteri from Swiss mice on days 5.5 and 6.5 of pregnancy were flushed and the resulting fluids assayed in a specific and sensitive ELISA test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the antiviral assay, no consistent IFN-like activity was found. The viral challenge also revealed a high susceptibility of mouse blastocysts to VSV infection. By ELISA, all but two samples (N = 75), whether on 5.5 or 6.5, were found negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that in this rodent species IFN-gamma is most probably not involved in early maternal-fetal interactions.
authors.affiliation: Unite de Virologie et d'Immunologie Moleculaires, I.N.R.A., Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bonnardiere
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000737:chemistry; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000378:metabolism*; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007371:Interferon-gamma