Fetally derived CCL3 is not essential for the migration of maternal cells across the blood-placental barrier in the mouse.
In mammals with a hemochorial placenta (e.g., primates and rodents), the maternal and fetal bloodstreams are separated by the blood-placenta barrier. However, a few maternal cells in the general circulation pass through the barrier during normal pregnancy. So far, the transfer mechanism has not been investigated. In this study, we established a chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3)-deficient mouse model to examine the effect of fetus-derived chemokine(s) on the migration of maternal cells through the blood-placenta barrier. Using this model, we obtained CCL3-positive and -negative littermates from a mother expressing both CCL3 and green fluorescent protein (GFP). The numbers of GFP positive maternal cells in the lung, liver, spleen and heart of CCL3-positive and -negative fetuses were compared. A few GFP-positive cells were detected in the lung and liver of both types of fetus. These results indicate that maternal cells can migrate through the blood-placenta barrier even in the absence of fetal CCL3.
Unno
Akihiro
A
Department of Veterinary Parasitological Diseases, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan. atakashi@gifu-u.ac.jp
Suzuki
Kazuhiko
K
Kitoh
Katsuya
K
Takashima
Yasuhiro
Y
D000818:Animals; D054405:Chemokine CCL3 / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D046528:Chimerism / Q000196:embryology; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005838:Genotype; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy
C496534:Ccl3 protein, mouse; D054405:Chemokine CCL3; D017931:DNA Primers; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA