Potential Roles of A Special CD8αα+ Cell Population and CC Chemokine TECK in Ovulation Related Inflammation1

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 182; no. 1; pp. 596 - 603
• Main Authors: Zhou, Cindy, Wu, Jean, Borillo, Jason, Torres, Lisa, McMahon, John, Lou, Ya-Huan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2009
• ISSN: 0022-1767; 1550-6606

It is well known that ovulation may be an inflammatory process. However, it remains elusive how immune cells participate in this process. We have identified a novel CD8αα + population, which resembles tissue DC, in the theca of antral follicles. We further observed a dramatic influx of the CD8αα + cells into the ovulating follicles. This CD8αα + population was absent in the ovary of estradiol-induced anovulatory C31F1 mice and sub-fertile athymic nude mice. Expression of a CC chemokine TECK (thymus expressed chemokine) has previously been found in the ovary; we further demonstrated that TECK attracted CD8αα + cells into the ovary. Anti-TECK Ab, elicited in the female mice by active immunization, depleted the ovarian CD8αα + cells in vivo . Mice with a high titer of TECK Ab failed to ovulate after super-ovulation induction. More importantly, the immunized mice had a greatly reduced fertility, which was positively correlated with the Ab titers. Ovarian TECK expression was normal in anovulatory C31F1 mice, suggesting that infertility in the immunized mice is due to a block of CD8αα + cell migration. Finally, the origin of ovarian CD8αα + cells was explored. Upon being transferred, thymic CD8α + cells were able to home to the theca of follicles in the recipients. Thus, ovarian CD8αα + cells, which participate in the ovulation-related inflammation, may originate in the thymus.