Allogeneic pregnancy in B-lymphocyte deprived CBA/Ca mice--effects on maternal lymphoid organs and fetal survival.

A number of female CBA/Ca (H2-k) mice were injected with rabbit-anti mouse IgM every 2 days throughout their life cycle in order to prevent their development of immunocompetent B-lymphocytes. The efficiency of the anti IgM-treatment was good in the group of mice used, and all experimental mice almost completely lacked 1) surface Ig-staining cells (immunoperoxidase ABC method), 2) serum IgG (ELISA technique), and 3) Ig-secreting cells (protein A plaque assay). All experimental mice contained a functioning T-cell pool, as recorded in vitro by conA-stimulation and one-way MLC. At an age of 40-60 days these mice were allowed to mate allogeneically with C57/Bl (H-2b) males. No harmful effects of the anti-IgM treatment on the first pregnancy cycle were found, and B-cell deprived mice delivered as many healthy litters as did the controls. It was also observed that the enlargement of the spleen and uterus-draining nodes was of the same magnitude in both experimental and control mice at the end of the first pregnancy.