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2.22 Characterization of pregnancy-induced changes in the uterus-draining lymph nodes of rats and mice
Cytokines and tissues 2.22
369
CHAR~CTERIZHTION OF PREGNANCY-ZNDUCED CHANGES I N THE UTERUSD R A I N I N G LYMPH NODE8 OF P.HT8 AND MICE
Pirkko Sulila and R. Mattsson, Department of Zoophysiology, Box 560, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden. The uterus-draining paraaortic nodes of both mice and rats typically enlarge as pregnancy proceeds. In both species, the enlarged nodes contain strongly elevated numbers of IgG-secreting and IgM-secreting cells (measured by the protein A plaque assay). This increase in humoral immune activity is maximal at the end of gestation. Our immunohistochemical analyses of paraaortic nodes from pregnant animals show proportional enlargement of cortex and medulla, and a fairly proportionate increase in numbers of T-helper (CD4-positive), T-suppressor/cytotoxic (CDS-positive) and B(surface Ig- and MHC II-positive) lymphocytes as compared to virgin controls. In vivo depletion of B-cells (anti-IgMtreatment) or Tsuppressor/cytotoxic cells (anti-CD8 treatment) did not affect the pregnancy-induced growth of these nodes. The mouse uterus is considered also to be drained by a third lymph node, the caudal node. Our data show that this node does not respond to pregnancy by enlargement or elevated Ig-secretion. It seems to differ histologically from the paraaortic nodes. The functional meaning of the difference between the two types of uterus-draining nodes in mice still remains unknown.
369
CHAR~CTERIZHTION OF PREGNANCY-ZNDUCED CHANGES I N THE UTERUSD R A I N I N G LYMPH NODE8 OF P.HT8 AND MICE
Pirkko Sulila and R. Mattsson, Department of Zoophysiology, Box 560, 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden. The uterus-draining paraaortic nodes of both mice and rats typically enlarge as pregnancy proceeds. In both species, the enlarged nodes contain strongly elevated numbers of IgG-secreting and IgM-secreting cells (measured by the protein A plaque assay). This increase in humoral immune activity is maximal at the end of gestation. Our immunohistochemical analyses of paraaortic nodes from pregnant animals show proportional enlargement of cortex and medulla, and a fairly proportionate increase in numbers of T-helper (CD4-positive), T-suppressor/cytotoxic (CDS-positive) and B(surface Ig- and MHC II-positive) lymphocytes as compared to virgin controls. In vivo depletion of B-cells (anti-IgMtreatment) or Tsuppressor/cytotoxic cells (anti-CD8 treatment) did not affect the pregnancy-induced growth of these nodes. The mouse uterus is considered also to be drained by a third lymph node, the caudal node. Our data show that this node does not respond to pregnancy by enlargement or elevated Ig-secretion. It seems to differ histologically from the paraaortic nodes. The functional meaning of the difference between the two types of uterus-draining nodes in mice still remains unknown.