Journal article
Effect of Pregnancy on Thymic T Cell Development
American journal of reproductive immunology (1989), Vol.35(6), pp.523-528
06/1996
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1996.tb00052.x
PMID: 8792935
Abstract
PROBLEM: The thymus gland decreases in size during pregnancy. The significance of this alteration is not known.
METHOD: In this report, we examined thymic function by evaluating the development of T lymphocytes in the thymus of pregnant Balb/c mice at 15 and 20 days gestation using multi‐color flow cytometry. Comparative analysis was made with non‐pregnant mice, postpartum lactating mice, and postpartum non‐lactating mice.
RESULTS: Progressive reduction of thymic size and cellularity during pregnancy was observed. All of the CD4 and CD8 defined subsets were reduced, with a disproportionate loss of CD4+, CD8+ double positive cells. Examination of the CD4‐, CD8‐ double negative compartment revealed a predominance of TCR α,β+ double negative cells, and a striking loss of precursor cells. The CD3‐, CD4‐, CD8‐ triple negative thymic subset was composed almost entirely of the earliest population (CD44+, CD25‐), with the remaining maturational stages (CD44+, CD25+; CD44‐, CD25+; and CD44‐, CD25‐) depleted. At 2 weeks postpartum, the subset ratios normalized, and the total cell count showed recovery.
CONCLUSION: T cell development is blocked at the precursor level during the mouse pregnancy. These effects are transient, and gradual recovery is observed in the postpartum period.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Effect of Pregnancy on Thymic T Cell Development
- Creators
- Asha G RuhsinghaniSudershan K BhatiaLorraine T TygrettThomas J Waldschmidt
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of reproductive immunology (1989), Vol.35(6), pp.523-528
- Publisher
- Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Oxford, UK
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1600-0897.1996.tb00052.x
- PMID
- 8792935
- ISSN
- 1046-7408
- eISSN
- 1600-0897
- Number of pages
- 6
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/1996
- Academic Unit
- Pathology; Radiation Oncology
- Record Identifier
- 9984047608702771
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