DEFECTIVE MATERNAL-FETAL INTERACTION IN A MURINE AUTOIMMUNE MODEL

Anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) are associated with recurrent fetal loss, but their role in this pathological condition is unknown, Ne rec ently developed an experimental mouse model of the anti-phospholipid s yndrome, in which immunization of female mise with a monoclonal anti-c ardiolipin antibody resulted in substantial failure of pregnancy We ob served that pre-implantation embryos derived from ACA-injected mothers exhibited morphological abnormalities and failed to implant in vitro. In the present study we designed embryo transfer experiments to deter mine whether defective embryonic development originated as a maternal defect, an embryonic defect or both. Embryos (3.5 day old), taken from ACA- and control-immunized mothers were transferred into either an AC A- or a control-treated uterine environment (day 2.5 pseudo-pregnant f emales). On day 14 of gestation the incidence of pregnancy, the averag e number of fetuses per female and fetal resorptions were assessed, Th e ACA-treated uterine environment was found to be non-supportive for t he development and implantation of normal embryos, Moreover, embryos d erived from ACA-immunized mothers, even after their removal from the A CA-environment and transfer to a normal uterus, remained deficient, Th ese results demonstrate that both the maternal and the embryonic compa rtments were defective, as a result of previous exposure to the ACA.