Maternal serum reactivity to species-specific antigens in sheep-goat interspecific pregnancy

Three models were used to test the hypothesis that interspecific pregnancy failure between the sheep and goat is due to a species-specific, maternal antibody response. Interspecific pregnancies were established in ewes and does, sheep in equilibrium goat chimeric conceptuses produced by injection of ovine blastocysts were transferred to ovine recipients, and ovine and caprine pregnancies were established in interspecific chimeras. Complement-mediated lymphocytotoxic and hemolytic assays were used to monitor onset and titer of antibodies. Sera from 3 of 8 injection-chimera recipients reacted with all caprine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and red blood cells (RBC) tested (n = 18). Sera from 3 of 6 ewes and 7 of 7 does also were pancytotoxic to PBL of the other species (n greater than or equal to 20). Absorptions with xenogeneic RBC generally removed the reactivity. The data were consistent with responses to species-specific, monomorphic antigens expressed on PBL and RBC, and probably trophoblast. The response preceded or coincided with interspecific pregnancy failure in does, but not in ewes. Accordingly, no xenoreactivity was observed in chimera sera but caprine pregnancies were resorbed (n = 16) and ovine pregnancies developed to term (n = 11). The data did not support the hypothesis that failure of caprine pregnancy in ewes or chimeras is due to a species-specific, maternal antibody response. In contrast, a maternal, cytotoxic antibody response to species-specific antigen(s) may contribute to failure of hybrid or ovine pregnancy in does.