Role of sympathetic nerves on early embryonic development and immune modulation of uterus in pregnant mice.
To determine the role of sympathetic nerves in the early embryonic development and the immune modulation of maternal uterus during pregnancy, a model of chemical sympathectomy in mice was established by intraperitoneal injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). The embryonic development and the distribution of maternal uterine immunocytes were investigated during early pregnancy (E1-E9) with methods of histology, immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Our data showed that in the 6-OHDA-treated group, the number of implanted embryos was only 64.4% of that in the control group at E7, and the development of uterine glands and vessels was poor in pregnant mice. In addition, in uterine tissues of 6-OHDA-treated mice, the number of CD8+ T cells increased ten-fold and the concentration of IL-2 increased 3.6-fold at E5. However, no obvious changes to the number of CD4+ T cells and IL-4 were observed. Thus, the CD4+/CD8+ T cells ratio significantly decreased, while the IL-2/IL-4 ratio significantly increased. These findings indicated that the activation of sympathetic nerves might be favorable to fetal survival and development during early pregnancy through influencing on immune function and decidua formation of uterus.
Dong
Yulan
Y
Laboratory of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Animal Medicine, China Agricultural University, Haidian, Beijing 100094, China.
Chen
Yaoxing
Y
Wang
Zixu
Z
Naito
Jumpei
J
Chen
Ji-Long
JL
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016627:Oxidopamine; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical / Q000379:methods; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4; D016627:Oxidopamine