T-cell receptors are expressed but down-regulated on intradecidual T lymphocytes

Dietl et al. considered "intradecidual T cell tolerance towards fetal antigens" with their observation that intradecidual T cells lack immunohistochemically detectable amounts of T cell receptor (TCR) molecules while expressing normal amounts of CD3 molecules during early normal pregnancy (Am J Reprod Immunol. 1990; 24:33-36).

To reevaluate these findings we examined the TCR and CD3 expression on intradecidual T cells using flow cytometry.

In our study, all intradecidual CD3+ T cells expressed either TCR alpha beta or TCR gamma delta. However, the expression of the CD3/TCR complex on intradecidual T cells was down-regulated. The level of CD3/TCR complex expression on intradecidual T cells was about two-thirds of that on peripheral blood T cells. Further, the proportions of alpha beta+ and gamma delta+ cells in CD3+ cells did not significantly differ between decidua and peripheral blood.