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Monoclonal antibodies against maternal major histocompatibility complex class I molecules induce rapid abortion in
N Knezevic1, B Nikolic, K Brajsa
1Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute Ruder Boskovic, Zagreb, Croatia.
Problem:
The role of antibodies against fetal or maternal antigens in maintaining or losing pregnancy is not clear.
Method Of Study:
Term-pregnant mice were injected with monoclonal antibodies against only fetal or fetal and maternal major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. The development of pregnancy was then followed.
Results:
Antibodies against maternal, but not fetal, major histocompatibility complex class I molecules induced abortion in mice. The abortion occurred 6-8 hr after the administration of autoreactive antibodies. The abortion could only be induced after the formation of placenta. Antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-alpha could not prevent or postpone the abortion. Extensive bleeding has been detected in the placenta of aborting mice 3 hr after the administration of the antibodies.
Conclusions:
This study indicates that autoreactive antibodies present risk for pregnancy and that the damage leading to abortion induced by such antibodies most likely occurs at the maternal side of placenta.