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A monoclonal antibody to an early pregnancy factor-induced suppressor factor (EPF-S1) disrupts implantation in mice
S Athanasas-Platsis1, M J Hoskin, B E Rolfe
1University of Queensland, Department of Surgery, Royal Birsbane Hospital, Australia.
Problem:
The importance of EPF during pregnancy has been established previously but the importance of the EPF-induced suppressor factor EPF-S1 in pregnancy has to date been unaddressed. Investigations were therefore conducted in order to study this.
Method:
Monoclonal antibodies to EPF-S1 were produced, and one antibody, designated R2T gamma, was characterized. Mated mice were passively immunized with R2T gamma and the effect on implantation determined.
Results:
Characterization of anti-EPF-S1 R2T gamma revealed that it cross-reacted with EPF-S1 of different MHC restriction but not with EPF or EPF-S2. When injected into mated mice on days 1 to 4, R2T gamma had no effect on pregnancy but when injections continued to day 5, pregnancy was affected; the number of embryos implanted on day 7 were significantly less than the number of corpora lutea counted, signifying embryonic loss.
Conclusion:
These studies show that anti-EPF-S1 R2T gamma disrupts implantation in mice when injected on days 1 to 5 of pregnancy but not when injected on days 1 to 4, demonstrating that EPF-S1 exerts its effects around the time of implantation.