ABSTRACT
AIM AND PURPOSE: The higher prevalence rate of different diseases may accentuate the possible alteration of the immune system in individuals conceived through the assisted reproductive technologies (ART). The present study was conducted to evaluate the TH1, TH2, TH17 balance in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) - conceived mice in comparison to naturally conceived offspring. METHODS: Mice (6-8 weeks) were divided into three groups (IVF- conceived, ICSI- conceived and naturally conceived). They were subjected to subcutaneous immunization witMycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The blood samples were taken and the sera were separated. Then the spleens were surgically removed at the time the mice were sacrificed. Serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-17A and IL-4 were detected by ELISA. Then the proportion of TCD4 cells possessing the T-bet+, GATA3+, and ROR-γt + were measured using FACS caliber flow cytometer. RESULTS: In comparison with naturally conceived mice, intracellular expression of T-bet and serum levels of IFN-γ were significantly decreased in ART- conceived mice. Moreover, ART- conceived offspring showed marked increase in IL-4 and IL-17A. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that compared to naturally conceived male mice, ART- conceived counterparts exhibit less efficient immune responses against BCG through further promotion of humoral and inflammatory related immune response characteristics.
Subject(s)
Fertilization in Vitro/methods , Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic/methods , Th1 Cells/immunology , Th17 Cells/immunology , Th2 Cells/immunology , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Female , Humans , Immunity, Cellular , Immunization , Interferon-gamma/blood , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred Strains , Mycobacterium bovis/immunology , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted , T-Box Domain Proteins/genetics , T-Box Domain Proteins/metabolism , Th1-Th2 BalanceABSTRACT
A study using a mouse IVF model was conducted to examine the hypothesis that in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment may lead to immune system alteration in the offspring. Phagocytic activity and lymphocyte proliferative responses to mitogen, alloantigen, and purified protein derivative (PPD) of Mycobacterium bovis were investigated in the splenocytes of BCG-treated male mice conceived by IVF or natural conception. Intracellular expression of T-bet and GATA3 in helper T-cell population were examined in both groups. Moreover, the serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 along with BCG-specific levels of IgG1 and IgG2a were assessed by ELISA. In comparison with naturally-conceived mice, PPD-specific proliferative response and T-bet/GATA3 ratio were significantly decreased in IVF-conceived mice. Moreover, IVF-conceived mice exhibited marked decreases in IFN-γ/IL-4 and IgG2a/IgG1 ratios. Results indicate that in comparison with male mice conceived by natural conception, IVF counterparts exhibit less efficient immune responses against BCG through further promotion of Th2 responses.