Cytokine Profile of Mouse Vaginal and Uterus Lymphocytes at Estrus and Diestrus
It is known that sex hormones regulate IgA and IgG levels in the female reproductive tract. Moreover, antigen presentation by uterine and vaginal epithelial cells is also under strict hormonal control. The effect of the estrous cycle on cytokine secretion by va...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2005-01-01
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| Series: | Clinical and Developmental Immunology |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17402520500141010 |
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| Summary: | It is known that sex hormones regulate IgA and IgG levels in the female
reproductive tract. Moreover, antigen presentation by uterine and vaginal epithelial
cells is also under strict hormonal control. The effect of the estrous cycle on
cytokine secretion by vaginal and uterine lymphoid cells has been examined in
mice using simultaneous staining for cytoplasmic cytokines and surface markers
after ex vivo culture with PMA/ionomycin in the presence of Brefeldin A, and flow
cytometry analysis. Two different mice strains, BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, were
used. The most relevant finding was the increase in the proportion of vaginal cells
secreting IFN-γ at diestrus in both strains of mice. Other cytokines (IL-2 and IL-4) as
well as some T cell subsets seemed to be modified in a strain dependent
fashion. Data also suggest that NK cells are at least partially responsible for
IFN-γ secretion. Our data indicate that vaginal and uterus lymphoid cells isolated
at diestrus were in vivo activated to secrete cytokines
after ex vivo
culture. IFN-γ seems to be the key cytokine, since it increases in both strains of mice. |
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| ISSN: | 1740-2522 1740-2530 |