The Immunomodulatory effects of abortion-prone mice decidual and serum soluble factors on macrophages and splenocytes

Abstract Objectives To determine the immune status of the abortion mouse model at the feto-maternal interface and at the systemic level simultaneously. Study design Mid-pregnancy serum and decidual cell supernatants (DS) were obtained from abortion and non-abortion mouse models. The effect of serum and DS on PHA or LPS-induced lymphocyte proliferation was investigated by MTT reduction assay. Treated macrophages and LPS-stimulated macrophages were evaluated for viability and also for nitric oxide (NO) production by Griess reagent. Results Our results showed that DS from the abortion mouse model significantly decreased LPS-stimulated splenocyte proliferation, and increased proliferation in PHA-stimulated splenocytes, compared with that in the non-abortion mouse model. Proliferation assays for mid-pregnancy serum were the same on LPS- and PHA-stimulated splenocytes. NO production was decreased by non-abortion DS, similar to that observed for serum treatment in LPS-stimulated macrophages in abortion mice. Conclusions These findings suggest that in the abortion mouse model, soluble factors within the decidua are more effective than serum soluble factors in altering immune responses that may be involved in the complex process of fetal rejection.