Failure of neuraminidase to unmask histocompatibility antigens on trophoblast.

Abstract

DURING outbred pregnancy the mother is exposed to genetically foreign tissue because the offspring inherits transplantation antigens from the father. The survival of the foetus is ensured by the intervention of the trophoblast which does not express transplantation antigens between mother and foetus: mouse trophoblast is not rejected even when transplanted into immune recipients1,3. The mechanism of this failure to express histocompatibility antigens is not understood1–4, but Kirby et al. have suggested that the extracellular fibrinoid surrounding trophoblast cells is involved5,6. Currie has suggested that the thick sialomucinous glycocalyx of the trophoblast cell might “mask” the histocompatibility antigens on the trophoblast7,8 and has demonstrated that neuraminidase unmasked these antigens8. Our experiments, however, show that trophoblast incubated with neuraminidase cannot sensitize allogeneic mice to donor histocompatibility antigens. Furthermore, pretreatment of trophoblastic implants with neuraminidase did not interfere with their proliferation and growth in highly immune allogeneic recipients.