Pregnancy-associated, lymphocyte-derived suppressor factor inhibits protein kinase C activity

For successful allogenic pregnancy to occur, suppression of maternal defense responses toward the fetus are vital. Suppressor factors elaborated by decidual cells or immune cells may facilitate this suppression. In order for appropriate cellular responses to occur an intact signal transduction/second messenger system must be present. The calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase, Pk-C, plays an important role in regulating immune responses, and may also be important in regulating uterine cell responses and implantation events. Pk-C activation is necessary for IL-2 synthesis and IL-2 receptor synthesis through activation of the proto-oncogenes c-jun and c-fos. These proto-oncogene gene products combine to form the heterodimer AP-1 which then activates IL-2 gene transcription for both peptide and receptor. If Pk-C activity becomes abrogated then appropriate cell responsiveness is diminished. We have shown that Pk-C activity is decreased in the particulate fraction of 4-7 day pregnant spleen, thymus and draining lymph node (DLN) cells. Spleen cells did not exhibit any change in cytosolic Pk-C activity, the thymus was found to have a decrease in both cytosol and particulate fractions, and the DLN cells exhibited a translocation effect whereby particulate Pk-C decreased and cytosolic Pk-C activity increased. Supernatant from 3-day cultures of DLN cells from pregnant animals was shown to inhibit proliferation of spleen cells. In addition, the supernatant was able to directly lower Pk-C activity. We hypothesize that DLN cells secrete a factor(s) that is able to suppress immune response through abrogation of Pk-C activity, thereby decreasing AP-1 formation resulting in decreased IL-2 synthesis and IL-2 receptor synthesis.