Establishment of the porcine epitheliochorial placenta is associated with endometrial T-cell recruitment.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed implantation-associated quantitative changes in peripheral blood and endometrial T lymphocytes throughout epitheliochorial placenta formation.


METHODS
T-cell subsets were investigated in 10-, 15-, 20-, 30-, and 40-day pregnant and non-pregnant sows by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Endometrial total T, T cytotoxic (Tc), and T helper (Th) cells were in peak numbers at the attachment phase of implantation and Tc cells persisted in high proportions up to placental establishment. The number of gammadelta T lymphocytes was relatively small and implantation-independent. In situ, T cells increased in number with the advancement of implantation and formed T-cell clusters with implantation phase-dependent location. Percentages of peripheral blood T cells were not significantly changed throughout the implantation.


CONCLUSIONS
Superficial and adeciduate implantation of pigs has a profound effect on the number of total T, Tc, and Th cells and pattern of distribution of endometrial T cells in situ.
Dimova
Tanya
T
Department of Immunobiology of Reproduction, Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, Acad.K.Bratanov, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria. tanyadimova@yahoo.com
Mihaylova
Anastassia
A
Spassova
Petia
P
Georgieva
Rayna
R
D000818:Animals; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013552:Swine; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*