Faculty of Food Engineering and Animal Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
PLoS One. 2013 Oct 25;8(10):e75571. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075571. eCollection 2013.
Despite extensive research in the area of cow fertility, the extent to which the maternal immune system is modulated during pregnancy in cattle remains unclear. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to characterize the presence and response profile of B, T-helper (LTh), T- cytotoxic (LTc), gamma delta-T (γδT) and natural killer (NK) lymphocytes in terms of cell number, distribution and cytokine expression in bovine endometrial tissue to pregnancy. Endometrial tissue samples were collected from beef heifers on Days 5, 7, 13 and 16 of the estrous cycle or pregnancy. Samples were analysed by immunofluorescence to identify the presence and abundance of B-B7 (B-cells), CD4 (LTh), CD8 (LTc), γδT cell receptor (TCR) and CD335/NKp46 (NK cells) -positive immune cells. Quantitative real time PCR (QPCR) was carried out to analyse mRNA relative abundance of FOXP3 (a marker of regulatory T (Treg) cells) and a panel of immune factors, including MHC-I, LIF, Interleukins 1, 2, 6, 8, 10, 11,12A, IFNa and IFNG. Results indicate that B-B7+ cells are quite populous in bovine endometrial tissue, CD4+ and CD8+ -cells are present in moderate numbers and γδTCR+ and CD335+ cells are present in low numbers. Pregnancy affected the total number and distribution pattern of the NK cell population, with the most significant variation observed on Day 16 of pregnancy. Neither B lymphocytes nor T lymphocyte subsets were regulated temporally during the oestrous cycle or by pregnancy prior to implantation. mRNA transcript abundance of the immune factors LIF, IL1b, IL8 and IL12A, IFNa and IFNG, expression was regulated temporally during the estrous cycle and LIF, IL1b, IL-10, IL11, IL12A were also temporally regulated during pregnancy. In conclusion, the endometrial immune profile of the oestrous cycle favours a Th2 environment in anticipation of pregnancy and the presence of an embryo acts to fine tune this environment.
尽管在奶牛繁殖力领域进行了广泛的研究，但在牛怀孕期间，母体免疫系统的调节程度仍不清楚。因此，本研究的目的是描述在怀孕时牛子宫内膜组织中 B、T 辅助细胞（LTh）、T 细胞毒性（LTc）、γδT 和自然杀伤（NK）淋巴细胞的数量、分布和细胞因子表达的特征。在发情周期或怀孕的第 5、7、13 和 16 天，从肉牛小母牛中采集子宫内膜组织样本。通过免疫荧光分析来鉴定 B-B7（B 细胞）、CD4（LTh）、CD8（LTc）、γδT 细胞受体（TCR）和 CD335/NKp46（NK 细胞）阳性免疫细胞的存在和丰度。进行定量实时 PCR（QPCR）以分析 FOXP3（调节性 T（Treg）细胞的标志物）和一系列免疫因子的 mRNA 相对丰度，包括 MHC-I、LIF、白细胞介素 1、2、6、8、10、11、12A、IFNa 和 IFNG。结果表明，B-B7+细胞在牛子宫内膜组织中数量众多，CD4+和 CD8+细胞数量中等，γδTCR+和 CD335+细胞数量较少。怀孕影响 NK 细胞群体的总数和分布模式，在怀孕的第 16 天观察到最显著的变化。在发情周期或着床前怀孕期间，B 淋巴细胞或 T 淋巴细胞亚群都没有时间调节。在发情周期中，免疫因子 LIF、IL1b、IL8 和 IL12A、IFNa 和 IFNG 的 mRNA 转录丰度是时间调节的，LIF、IL1b、IL-10、IL11 和 IL12A 在怀孕期间也是时间调节的。总之，发情周期的子宫内膜免疫特征有利于怀孕的 Th2 环境，胚胎的存在则对这种环境进行微调。
