Lymphocyte alloantigens of the horse. II. Antibodies to ELA antigens produced during equine pregnancy.
Abstract: Evidence is presented for a reproducible maternal immune response to histocompatibility antigens during equine pregnancy. Mares were stimulated as a result of pregnancy to produce cytotoxic antibodies to paternal lymphocyte alloantigens. The majority of these antibodies were directed against antigens of the equine lymphocyte antigen (ELA) system, which is the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the horse. In 16 experimental pregnancies produced using 12 mares and 4 stallions which had been typed for ELA antigens, there was correlation between ELA incompatibility between sire and dam and the appearance of antibody in the serum of the dam as a result of pregnancy. In ELA incompatible pregnancies, antibody was first detected very early in pregnancy, usually by day 60 in a 336-day gestation. The appearance of antibody following shortly the development of the endometrial cups, which can be seen macroscopically for the first time between days 38 and 40. The strength (titre) of the cytotoxic antibody response appeared to vary with the paternal ELA antigens expressed by the fetus. Circulating antibody to 'third party' alloantigens generated during prior pregnancies did not alter the kinetics of the appearance of antibody in a current pregnancy. Evidence for an anamnestic response was obtained in second pregnancies in which the histocompatibility difference between mare and fetus was the same as in the first pregnancy. However, this accelerated response did not occur before the time of formation of the endometrial cups. Serum samples from approximately 90% of parturient mares on horse farms in New York State contained antibody reactive with paternal lymphocyte alloantigens.
Publication Date: 1984-08-01 PubMed ID: 6481697DOI: 10.1016/0165-0378(84)90028-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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The research explores the maternal immune response to specific antigens during horse pregnancies. It finds that most mares produce cytotoxic antibodies as a reaction to paternal lymphocyte alloantigens, which are tied with the equine lymphocyte antigen (ELA) system during pregnancy, highlighting a possible correlation between ELA incompatibility in pregnancy and the generation of these antibodies.
Maternal Immune Response during Horse Pregnancy
- The study provides evidence of a consistent immune response from the mother during horse pregnancies.
- Horse mothers (mares) produced cytotoxic antibodies when stimulated by pregnancy. These are substances that can destroy or harm other cells.
- The cytotoxic antibodies produced are majorly directed against antigens that are part of the equine lymphocyte antigen (ELA) system, which is the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) in horses. The MHC is a set of genes that control an animal’s immune response.
Impact of ELA Incompatibility on Antibody Production
- The research conducted experimental pregnancies using 12 mares and 4 stallions. In 16 of these pregnancies, there was a correlation observed between ELA incompatibility (differences in the ELA genetics of the mare and the stallion) and the production of these antibodies in the mare.
- In pregnancies where there was ELA incompatibility, the antibodies were first detected very early in the pregnancy, often by the 60th day of a 336-day duration pregnancy.
Relation between Paternal ELA Antigens and Antibody Response
- The strength or the titre of the cytotoxic antibody response seemed to change with the paternal ELA antigens expressed by the fetus.
- The presence of antibody corresponding to ‘third party’ alloantigens from prior pregnancies did not alter the kinetics of antibody appearance in a current pregnancy.
- Evidence of an anamnestic response was observed in second pregnancies where the genetic compatibility difference between the mare and the fetus remained the same as in the first pregnancy. The anamnestic response refers to the immune system’s enhanced response to an antigen it has encountered before.
Widespread Presence of These Antibodies
- The research found that serum samples from approximately 90% of mares that had given birth on horse farms in New York State contained antibodies reactive to paternal lymphocyte alloantigens.
Cite This Article
APA
Antczak DF, Miller JM, Remick LH.
(1984).
Lymphocyte alloantigens of the horse. II. Antibodies to ELA antigens produced during equine pregnancy.
J Reprod Immunol, 6(5), 283-297.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0378(84)90028-7 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibody Specificity
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
- Female
- Gestational Age
- Histocompatibility Antigens / immunology
- Horses / genetics
- Horses / immunology
- Immune Tolerance
- Isoantibodies / biosynthesis
- Isoantigens / immunology
- Lymphocytes / immunology
- Major Histocompatibility Complex
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal
Grant Funding
- HD-15799 / NICHD NIH HHS
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Antczak DF, Allen WRT. Placentation in Equids.. Adv Anat Embryol Cell Biol 2021;234:91-128.
- Hansen VL, Miller RD. Evidence for regulation of the complement system during pregnancy being ancient and conserved in mammals.. Dev Comp Immunol 2020 Mar;104:103562.
- Miller D, Tallmadge RL, Binns M, Zhu B, Mohamoud YA, Ahmed A, Brooks SA, Antczak DF. Polymorphism at expressed DQ and DR loci in five common equine MHC haplotypes.. Immunogenetics 2017 Mar;69(3):145-156.
- Brosnahan MM, Silvela EJ, Crumb J, Miller DC, Erb HN, Antczak DF. Ectopic Trophoblast Allografts in the Horse Resist Destruction by Secondary Immune Responses.. Biol Reprod 2016 Dec;95(6):135.
- Antczak DF, de Mestre AM, Wilsher S, Allen WR. The equine endometrial cup reaction: a fetomaternal signal of significance.. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2013 Jan;1:419-42.
- Rapacz-Leonard A, Dąbrowska M, Janowski T. Major histocompatibility complex I mediates immunological tolerance of the trophoblast during pregnancy and may mediate rejection during parturition.. Mediators Inflamm 2014;2014:579279.
- Noronha LE, Huggler KE, de Mestre AM, Miller DC, Antczak DF. Molecular evidence for natural killer-like cells in equine endometrial cups.. Placenta 2012 May;33(5):379-86.
- de Mestre A, Noronha L, Wagner B, Antczak DF. Split immunological tolerance to trophoblast.. Int J Dev Biol 2010;54(2-3):445-55.
- Adams AP, Oriol JG, Campbell RE, Oppenheim YC, Allen WR, Antczak DF. The effect of skin allografting on the equine endometrial cup reaction.. Theriogenology 2007 Jul 15;68(2):237-47.
- Barbis DP, Maher JK, Stanek J, Klaunberg BA, Antczak DF. Horse cDNA clones encoding two MHC class I genes.. Immunogenetics 1994;40(2):163.
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