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1: Science. 1995 Oct 27;270(5236):630-3.Click here to read Links

T cell awareness of paternal alloantigens during pregnancy.

Tumor Immunology Program, Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.

During pregnancy a semiallogeneic fetus survives despite the presence of maternal T cells specific for paternally inherited histocompatibility antigens. A mouse transgenic for a T cell receptor recognizing the major histocompatibility (MHC) antigen H-2Kb was used to follow the fate of T cells reactive to paternal alloantigens. In contrast to syngeneic and third-party allogeneic pregnancies, mice bearing a Kb-positive conceptus had reduced numbers of Kb-reactive T cells and accepted Kb-positive tumor grafts. T cell phenotype and responsiveness were restored after delivery. Thus, during pregnancy maternal T cells acquire a transient state of tolerance specific for paternal alloantigens.

PMID: 7570020 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]