Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, (Punjab), INDIA.
*E-mail: hmsaxena@yahoo.com
Treatment of lectin-stimulated lymphocytes with uterine secretions of pregnant cows was found to cause a significantly (p=0.01) lower proliferation of lymphocytes as compared to non-pregnant cows. The results suggest the impairment of lymphocyte activation by pregnant uterine secretions. This may possibly be one of the mechanisms for abrogation of maternal immune responses against the fetus leading to the survival of allogeneic fetus inside the uterus of the immunocompetent mother.
Immunosuppression, pregnancy, uterine secretions, lymphocytes, cows
