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Evidence for a leukocyte adhesion factor produced by the early embryo
J H Check1, A Bollendorf, H A Askari
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Camden, USA.
Problem:
To determine if the embryo may induce adhesive molecules needed for implantation.
Method:
Determination of whether platelet rosetting around lymphocytes might occur when exposed to sera from pregnant, but not nonpregnant patients and from culture fluid from embryos but not oocytes.
Results:
90.2% of women with positive sera beta human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) levels taken at least 12 days postovulation demonstrated platelet rosette factor (PRF) vs only 18.7% when beta-hCG was negative. Using mid-luteal phase sera in women receiving hCG injection 1 wk before, 64.7% had positive PRF when serial beta-hCG levels were positive as did 100% of samples taken from in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients; however, only 15.3% were positive with negative serial hCG levels. Culture media from fertilized oocytes and embryos tested positive for PRF, but follicular fluid and media from unfertilized oocytes were negative.
Conclusion:
The early embryo secretes a factor(s) that gains access to maternal serum and promotes increased lymphocyte/platelet adhesiveness.