Expression of TJ6 during pregnancy.

ABSTRACT

PROBLEM: TJ6 will be one of the molecules involved in fetal-specific immune suppression during pregnancy. In the mouse and human decidua, the regulation of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells is important during pregnancy. METHOD OF STUDY To further understand the possible functions of TJ6 during pregnancy, syngeneic, allogeneic, and mutant mice were examined for TJ6 expression. RESULTS: Immunoblotting showed that TJ6 protein was expressed on most of the placenta-associated mononuclear cells, and the size was 70-72 kDa at all stages of pregnancy. The expression of TJ6 mRNA was studied by a ribonuclease protection assay in syngeneic and allogeneic matings, and in immune-deficient mice of genotypes scid/scid and scid/scid.bg/bg. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic disparity, lack of T and B lymphocytes, and loss of NK lytic function had no significant effect on the expression of TJ6 mRNA.