Extrathymic Rearrangement of alphabetaT-Lymphocyte Antigen Receptor Genes during Pregnancy

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S. V. Shirshev, E. M. Kuklina^*, A. Yu. Maksimov, O. A. Krapivina, and N. S. Parshakova

Institute of Ecology and Genetics of Microorganisms, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Goleva 13, 614081 Perm, Russia; fax: (3422) 646-711; E-mail: ibis_07@mail.ru

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received May 4, 2007

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The existence of alphabetaT-lymphocyte differentiation processes have been demonstrated in mouse peripheral lymphoid organs during pregnancy. Study of pregnant Swiss mice has shown that the development of the second half of gestation is accompanied by expression of RAG-1 recombinase mRNA and unrearranged TCR alpha-chain (pre-TCRalpha) preferentially in T-lymphocytes of lymph nodes involved in uterine drainage (para-aortal lymph nodes), and to a lesser extent in other lymph nodes (mainly from axillary lymph nodes). The data suggest that during pregnancy the differentiation of alphabetaT lymphocytes may occur not only in central (thymus) but also in peripheral lymphoid organs.

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KEY WORDS: alphabetaT-lymphocytes, TCR gene rearrangement, RAG-1, pre-TCRalpha, pregnancy

DOI: 10.1134/S000629790709009X

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