Characterization of hematogenous cellular constituents of the murine decidua: a surface marker study

Decidual tissue, which includes typical (stromal type) decidual cells as well as infiltrating leukocytes, appears to play a local immunoregulatory role in the maintenance of pregnancy in nature. The present study evaluated the contribution of numerous leukocyte subsets characterized on the basis of morphology combined with cell surface markers to the development of murine decidua during syngeneic (CBA female X CBA male) and allogeneic (CBA female X C57BL/6 male) pregnancy. Collagenase dispersed decidua were subjected to total and differential counts and cell surface labeling for a radioautographic identification of various markers: S-IgM on B cells, Thy-1 on T cells, neither marker on null lymphocytes, Lyt- (1 or 2 or 1,2) antigens on T cell subsets, Mac-1 and I-A on macrophages, using 125I-labeled monoclonal antibodies or a sandwich labeling with 125I-protein A. The total cellularity of decidua basalis showed a biphasic rise in both pregnancies, with peaks on day 11 and days 15 and 16, but the allopregnant decidua showed a higher accumulation of all cell types indicating that an allogeneic conceptus causes an augmented deciduogenesis. The number of decidual cells, the most frequent cell class, rose to a peak on day 11 followed by a decline possibly due to cell death. The number of lymphocytes, the next frequent cell class, showed a parallel pattern initially, followed by a sharp secondary rise on day 16. This rise may be due to a withdrawal of progesterone, an antiinflammatory hormone. Null cells predominated amongst decidual lymphocytes (45-80%), as well as in the progestational endometrium (53%), indicating a hormonal control of their accumulation. The frequency of B cells was low (10-13%) and T cells (25-45%) comparable to that in the blood, with Lyt-1 only class being the most common T cell subset. Allopregnant decidua also showed a late rise in the total number of Lyt-2 only cells which may have a suppressor function. Macrophages, the next common leukocyte class, all expressed Mac-1. Their number rose to a plateau by day 12, but at a higher level in allopregnancy. I-A (needed for antigen presentation) was expressed by an increasing proportion (5-60%) of macrophages with advancing gestation. These findings provide a basis for further functional studies.