EXPRESSION OF TJ6 DURING PREGNANCY

PROBLEM: TJ6 will be one of the molecules involved in fetal-specific i mmune suppression during pregnancy. In the mouse and human decidua, th e regulation of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells is important during pregnancy. METHOD OF STUDY: To further understand the possible functi ons of TJ6 during pregnancy, syngeneic, allogeneic, and mutant mice we re examined for TJ6 expression. RESULTS: Immunoblotting showed that TJ 6 protein was expressed on most of the placenta-associated mononuclear cells, and the size was 70-72 kDa at all stages of pregnancy. The exp ression of TJ6 mRNA was studied by a ribonuclease protection assay in syngeneic and allogeneic matings, and in immune-deficient mice of geno types scid/scid and scid/scid.bg/bg. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic disparity, l ack of T and B lymphocytes, and loss of NK lytic function had no signi ficant effect on the expression of TJ6 mRNA.