Induction of foetal lethality in AKR offspring after repeated inoculations into AKR females of anti-TCR/V beta 6 monoclonal antibody.
Female AKR (H-2k, Mlsa) mice were repeatedly injected with monoclonal anti-V beta 6 prior to and during syngeneic pregnancy. The offspring were born non-viable or died within 24 h. Continued injections into the mother resulted in abortions and conception eventually ceased altogether. Antisera from hyperimmunized mothers, when injected into the neonatal offspring of untreated AKR mothers, also had a lethal effect within 4 to 10 days after injection. Some mice survived for several weeks. All injected neonates developed a graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)-like syndrome characterized by runting, presence of skin lesions and weight loss. Antiserum injected in a diluted form caused similar but less severe symptoms. FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorter) analysis of lymphocyte profiles of these mice revealed significant increases in the L3T4+ and Lyt-2+ T lymphocyte subsets; the number of V beta 6 T cells also increased. However Histopathological findings and mechanisms of the GVHD-like syndrome in these mice are discussed.
Department of Immunology, St Thomas' Hospital, London.
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L
De Giorgi
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Matossian-Rogers
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JA
Habeshaw
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology*; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000276:immunology; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007114:Immunization; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008806:Mice, Inbred AKR; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000276:immunology*
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006183:H-2 Antigens; D007106:Immune Sera; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta