MHC-CLASS II CELLS IN THE OVIDUCT PLAY A ROLE DURING THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE AND EARLY PREGNANCY?
Abstract
The epitheliurn of the oviduct may play significant roles in defending oviductal tissue and fertilized ovum from infection. The aim of this study was to determine the role of MHC-class II cells by analyzing them via HLA-DR immunoreactivity in the human oviduct epithelium during the menstrual cycle and early pregnancy. Oviducts from 21 healthy women undergoing tubal sterilization were collected and fixed in 10% formalin. After dehydration in ethanol, the oviducts were embedded in paraffin.
Sections were immunostained with monoclonal mouse-anti human HLA-DR antibody, and immunoreactivity was determined using immunoperoxidase technique under light microscopy. While increased HLA-DR immunoreactivity was observed in columnar epithelial ceils during the proliferatory
phase of the menstrual cycle, immunoreactivity was withdrawn from the epithelium in the secretory phase and in early pregnancy. These results indicated that human oviduct epithelium has positive immunoreactivity for MHC-II+ cells and that increased immunoreactivity correlated with ovulation. Varied distribution of HLA-DR immunoreactivity in the oviduct epithelium may play a significant role in the regulation of local immunocompetence during the menstrual cycle. increased HLA-DR immunoreactivity in the proliferatory phase may be needed against invading microorganisms. At the same time, a decrease in HLA-DR
immunoreactivity in the secretory phase and early pregnancy may be required to endure preimplantation of the foreign
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References
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