Immunological characterization of superantigen-induced intrauterine fetal and newborn death.
OBJECTIVE
The present study characterizes the immunological responses induced by superantigen and the underlying pathological mechanism using T-cell receptor-transgenic mice (TCR-Tg) to enable the ligand toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) to induce a cytokine storm.


METHODS
Three kinds of pregnant mice which could respond to TSST-1 at various levels were injected with TSST-1 on gestation day 17.5 and then the incidence of fetal/newborn death, production of cytokines including serum interleukin-2 (IL-2) and the histological status of the placenta were examined on day 18.5.


RESULTS
The incidence of fetal/newborn death and the concentrations of cytokines such as IL-2 were higher in TCR-Tg mother than those in other strains of mice. Pathological examinations revealed that the placenta was congestive and apoptotic in TCR-Tg mice.


CONCLUSIONS
Superantigen injection into pregnant mice appears to increase the incidence of fetal/newborn death through an IL-2-dependent immunological pathway.
Takei
Eriko
E
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kitasato 1-15-1, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 228-8555, Japan. eriko@med.kitasato-u.ac.jp
Tamauchi
Hidekazu
H
Maruyama
Hiroko
H
Nakanishi
Kuniaki
K
Ishikawa
Masakazu
M
Unno
Nobuya
N
Habu
Sonoko
S
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal