Fig. 5.

Direct injection of sCD38 into the vagina protects fetuses from abortion. sCD38 or PBS was injected to the pregnant CBA/J females mated with DBA/2J males intravaginally at 1.5 and 3.5 dpc. Sonic stress was applied from 2.5 dpc until sacrifice. (A) Resorption rates and (B) total number of implantation sites were measured at 12.5 dpc in the mated female mice exposed to sound stress with or without sCD38. Bars, mean ± SEM. (C) Phenotypic analysis of CD11c⁺ uterine DCs from nonstressed mating mice injected with PBS (Control), stressed mating mice injected with PBS (Stress), and stressed mating mice injected with sCD38 (Stress + sCD38) at 6.5 dpc. Mean fluorescent intensities (MFIs) of MHC-II and CD80 were plotted as bar graphs (Right panels). Bars, mean ± SD. (D) Percentages of CD4⁺Foxp3⁺ T cells in the PALNs of Control, Stress, and Stress + sCD38 were calculated by flow cytometry analysis at 6.5 dpc.