Croy B A, Kassouf S A
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Canada.
J Reprod Immunol. 1989 Mar;15(1):51-69. doi: 10.1016/0165-0378(89)90044-2.
The metrial gland (MG) is a transient uterine structure associated with rodent pregnancy. The gland is a complex structure consisting of stromal and vascular elements, as well as a population of histologically distinctive, large, granulated metrial gland (GMG) cells. The functions of the MG and of the GMG cells, as well as their relationship to the success of pregnancy, are unknown. Based upon morphological and morphometric studies it has been proposed that the MG might be involved in the immunology of pregnancy and that GMG cells could be immunocompetent. Explant cultures of MG have therefore been evaluated for immunological function. Lytic activity against the NK sensitive target cell line YAC and mitogen responsiveness could not be detected. MG tissue and medium conditioned by overnight culture of MG tissue (MG-CM) suppressed the response of murine spleen cells to Con A. MG-CM also reduced the lytic activity of splenic NK cells against YAC target cells. However, uptake of [3H]thymidine was elevated when YAC cells were cultured in MG-CM. The response of embryonic and uterine cells to growth in MG-CM was complex. MG-CM had little effect on isotope incorporation by decidual cells recovered at 6.5 days or by embryonic cells recovered from 12.5 day embryos. However, thymidine incorporation was less in MG-CM than in control medium for 12.5 day placental cells, 6.5 day embryonic sac, 6.5 day ectoplacental cone and 3.5 day blastocysts. Cytotoxicity and cytostasis accounted for reduced uptake of isotope in cultures of 3.5 day blastocysts and 6.5 day embryonic tissues. Loss of viability could not be detected in any other assays. Both YAC cells and unstimulated splenocytes showed altered morphology and improved viability when cultured in MG-CM. This study suggests that the only immunological role the MG might have during normal pregnancy is that of non-specific intra-uterine suppression. Alternatively, differential regulation of cell proliferation might be a function of the MG, within the pregnant uterus. The latter mechanism could also account for the apparent observation of non-specific immunosuppression.
蜕膜腺（MG）是与啮齿动物妊娠相关的一种临时性子宫结构。该腺体是一个复杂的结构，由基质和血管成分以及一群组织学上独特的、大的、颗粒状的蜕膜腺（GMG）细胞组成。MG和GMG细胞的功能，以及它们与妊娠成功的关系尚不清楚。基于形态学和形态计量学研究，有人提出MG可能参与妊娠免疫学，并且GMG细胞可能具有免疫活性。因此，已经对MG的外植体培养物的免疫功能进行了评估。未检测到对NK敏感靶细胞系YAC的裂解活性和有丝分裂原反应性。MG组织和经MG组织过夜培养条件化的培养基（MG-CM）抑制了小鼠脾细胞对刀豆蛋白A的反应。MG-CM也降低了脾NK细胞对YAC靶细胞的裂解活性。然而，当YAC细胞在MG-CM中培养时，[3H]胸腺嘧啶核苷的摄取增加。胚胎细胞和子宫细胞对MG-CM中生长的反应是复杂的。MG-CM对6.5天回收的蜕膜细胞或从12.5天胚胎回收的胚胎细胞的同位素掺入几乎没有影响。然而，对于12.5天的胎盘细胞、6.5天的胚囊、6.5天的外胎盘锥和3.5天的胚泡，MG-CM中的胸腺嘧啶核苷掺入量低于对照培养基。细胞毒性和细胞生长停滞导致3.5天胚泡和6.5天胚胎组织培养物中同位素摄取减少。在任何其他试验中均未检测到活力丧失。当在MG-CM中培养时，YAC细胞和未刺激的脾细胞均显示形态改变和活力提高。这项研究表明，MG在正常妊娠期间可能具有的唯一免疫作用是非特异性子宫内抑制作用。或者，细胞增殖的差异调节可能是MG在妊娠子宫内的功能。后一种机制也可以解释非特异性免疫抑制的明显现象。
