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Molecular characteristics and possible functions of innate lymphoid cells in the uterus and gut. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 2020; 52:15-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cytogfr.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Galaz J, Romero R, Slutsky R, Xu Y, Motomura K, Para R, Pacora P, Panaitescu B, Hsu CD, Kacerovsky M, Gomez-Lopez N. Cellular immune responses in amniotic fluid of women with preterm prelabor rupture of membranes. J Perinat Med 2020; 48:222-233. [PMID: 32083453 PMCID: PMC7147947 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2019-0395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Preterm birth is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM) occurs in 30% of preterm births; thus, this complication is a major contributor to maternal and neonatal morbidity. However, the cellular immune responses in amniotic fluid of women with pPROM have not been investigated. Methods Amniotic fluid samples were obtained from women with pPROM and a positive (n = 7) or negative (n = 10) microbiological culture. Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the phenotype and number of amniotic fluid leukocytes. The correlation between amniotic fluid immune cells and an interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration or a white blood cell (WBC) count in amniotic fluid was calculated. Results Women with pPROM and a positive amniotic fluid culture had (1) a greater number of total leukocytes in amniotic fluid, including neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages and (2) an increased number of total T cells in amniotic fluid, namely CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, but not B cells. The numbers of neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages were positively correlated with IL-6 concentrations and WBC counts in amniotic fluid of women with pPROM. Conclusion Women with pPROM and a positive amniotic fluid culture exhibit a more severe cellular immune response than those with a negative culture, which is associated with well-known markers of intra-amniotic inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Galaz
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Rebecca Slutsky
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Yi Xu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Kenichiro Motomura
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Robert Para
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Percy Pacora
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Marian Kacerovsky
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Pelosi A, Alicata C, Tumino N, Ingegnere T, Loiacono F, Mingari MC, Moretta L, Vacca P. An Anti-inflammatory microRNA Signature Distinguishes Group 3 Innate Lymphoid Cells From Natural Killer Cells in Human Decidua. Front Immunol 2020; 11:133. [PMID: 32117280 PMCID: PMC7015979 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are a heterogeneous subset of lymphocytes deeply implicated in the innate immune responses to different pathogens, in lymphoid organogenesis and in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) have been detected in human decidua, where they play a role in the early inflammatory phase favoring implantation and tissue remodeling as well as in the subsequent regulatory phase preventing fetal rejection and supporting neoangiogenesis. A balance between inflammation and immune tolerance is required to maintain pregnancy, thus maternal immune system must be controlled by finely tuned mechanisms. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with important regulatory roles in immune cells, but their function in decidual ILC3 (dILC3) and in decidual NK (dNK) cells is still undefined. Here, we examined the miRNome by microarray in these cells during the first trimester of pregnancy and compared with miRNA profiles of peripheral blood NK (pbNK) cells from pregnant women. We show that distinct miRNA profiles could clearly distinguish dILC3 from NK cells. Correlation analyses revealed that dNK and pbNK miRNome profiles are more similar to each other as compared to dILC3. In particular, we identified 302 and 279 mature miRNAs differentially expressed in dILC3 as compared to dNK and pbNK, respectively. The expression of miR-574-3p and the miR-99b/let-7e/miR-125a miRNA cluster resulted the most increased in dILC3. Remarkably, gene ontology analysis and pathway enrichments of miRNA targets revealed an involvement of these miRNAs in the promotion of anti-inflammatory responses. In agreement to this finding, we also found a higher expression of the anti-inflammatory miR-146a-5p in dILC3 with respect to NK cells. Overall, our data identified specific miRNA signatures distinguishing dILC3, dNK, and pbNK cells. Our data suggest the existence of a tight epigenetic control mediated by miRNAs in dILC3, potentially acting as a brake to prevent exaggerated inflammatory responses and to maintain the immune homeostasis in the early phases of pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Pelosi
- Immunology Research Area, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Alicata
- Immunology Research Area, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Tumino
- Immunology Research Area, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Tiziano Ingegnere
- Immunology Research Area, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Loiacono
- Immunology Operative Unit, Department of Integrated Oncological Therapies, IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Mingari
- Immunology Operative Unit, Department of Integrated Oncological Therapies, IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.,Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Moretta
- Immunology Research Area, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Vacca
- Immunology Research Area, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, Rome, Italy
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Ali-Hassanzadeh M, Hosseini MS, Ahmadi M, Zare M, Akbarzadeh-Jahromi M, Derakhshanfar A, Gharesi-Fard B. Analysis of the frequency of type 2 innate lymphoid cells and regulatory T cells in abortion-prone mice. Immunol Lett 2020; 220:1-10. [PMID: 31945403 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2020.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is the most common pregnancy related complication, affecting 1-5 % of pregnancies. Despite hormonal, genetic and anatomical factors that result in abortion, impairment of immune response at the feto-maternal interface during the first trimester of pregnancy is also one of the main causes of RSA. In the present study, we evaluated the frequency of blood and uterine group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s), their subsets and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in CBA/J × DBA/2 J as an abortion-prone model compared to normal pregnant (NP) mice using immunophenotyping. Results indicated that the percentages of ILC2s were significantly decreased in the AP group compared to the NP group at mid-gestation (P ≤ 0.01). Moreover, the percentages of both blood and uterine nILC2s were increased in NP mice at mid-gestation (P ≤ 0.01, and P ≤ 0.05, respectively), while iILC2s significantly increased in AP mice at mid-gestation (P ≤ 0.01, and P ≤ 0.05, respectively). Tregs were reduced in AP mice at both early and mid-gestation stages (P ≤ 0.01). Overall, our findings suggest that the changes in blood and uterine ILC2s might be associated with abortion in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali-Hassanzadeh
- Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
| | | | - Moslem Ahmadi
- Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Zare
- Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Mojgan Akbarzadeh-Jahromi
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Pathology Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Amin Derakhshanfar
- DiagnosticLaboratory Sciences and Technology Research Center, School of Paramedical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Center of Comparative and Experimental Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Behrouz Gharesi-Fard
- Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; Infertility Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
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Peiris HN, Romero R, Vaswani K, Reed S, Gomez-Lopez N, Tarca AL, Gudicha DW, Erez O, Maymon E, Mitchell MD. Preterm labor is characterized by a high abundance of amniotic fluid prostaglandins in patients with intra-amniotic infection or sterile intra-amniotic inflammation. J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2019; 34:4009-4024. [PMID: 31885290 DOI: 10.1080/14767058.2019.1702953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Objective: To distinguish between prostaglandin and prostamide concentrations in the amniotic fluid of women who had an episode of preterm labor with intact membranes through the utilisation of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Study design: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of amniotic fluid of women with preterm labor and (1) subsequent delivery at term (2) preterm delivery without intra-amniotic inflammation; (3) preterm delivery with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (interleukin (IL)-6>2.6 ng/mL without detectable microorganisms); and (4) preterm delivery with intra-amniotic infection [IL-6>2.6 ng/mL with detectable microorganisms].Results: (1) amniotic fluid concentrations of PGE2, PGF2α, and PGFM were higher in patients with intra-amniotic infection than in those without intra-amniotic inflammation; (2) PGE2 and PGF2α concentrations were also greater in patients with intra-amniotic infection than in those with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation; (3) patients with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation had higher amniotic fluid concentrations of PGE2 and PGFM than those without intra-amniotic inflammation who delivered at term; (4) PGFM concentrations were also greater in women with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation than in those without intra-amniotic inflammation who delivered preterm; (5) amniotic fluid concentrations of prostamides (PGE2-EA and PGF2α-EA) were not different among patients with preterm labor; (6) amniotic fluid concentrations of prostaglandins, but no prostamides, were higher in cases with intra-amniotic inflammation; and (7) the PGE2:PGE2-EA and PGF2α:PGF2α-EA ratios were higher in patients with intra-amniotic infection compared to those without inflammation.Conclusions: Mass spectrometric analysis of amniotic fluid indicated that amniotic fluid concentrations of prostaglandins, but no prostamides, were higher in women with preterm labor and intra-amniotic infection than in other patients with an episode of preterm labor. Yet, women with intra-amniotic infection had greater amniotic fluid concentrations of PGE2 and PGF2α than those with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation, suggesting that these two clinical conditions may be differentiated by using mass spectrometric analysis of amniotic fluid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassendrini N Peiris
- Faculty of Health, Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Kanchan Vaswani
- Faculty of Health, Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Sarah Reed
- UQ Centre for Clinical Research, University of Queensland, Australia
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Adi L Tarca
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Computer Science, Wayne State University College of Engineering, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Dereje W Gudicha
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Offer Erez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Eli Maymon
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.,Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Soroka University Medical Center, School of Medicine, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
| | - Murray D Mitchell
- Faculty of Health, Centre for Children's Health Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
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Romero R, Gomez-Lopez N, Winters AD, Jung E, Shaman M, Bieda J, Panaitescu B, Pacora P, Erez O, Greenberg JM, Ahmad MM, Hsu CD, Theis KR. Evidence that intra-amniotic infections are often the result of an ascending invasion - a molecular microbiological study. J Perinat Med 2019; 47:915-931. [PMID: 31693497 PMCID: PMC7147941 DOI: 10.1515/jpm-2019-0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Background Microbial invasion of the amniotic cavity resulting in intra-amniotic infection is associated with obstetrical complications such as preterm labor with intact or ruptured membranes, cervical insufficiency, as well as clinical and histological chorioamnionitis. The most widely accepted pathway for intra-amniotic infection is the ascension of microorganisms from the lower genital tract. However, hematogenous dissemination of microorganisms from the oral cavity or intestine, retrograde seeding from the peritoneal cavity through the fallopian tubes, and introduction through invasive medical procedures have also been suggested as potential pathways for intra-amniotic infection. The primary reason that an ascending pathway is viewed as most common is that the microorganisms most often detected in the amniotic fluid are those that are typical inhabitants of the vagina. However, thus far, no studies have shown that microorganisms in the amniotic cavity are simultaneously present in the vagina of the woman from which they were isolated. The objective of the study was to determine the frequency with which microorganisms isolated from women with intra-amniotic infection are also present in the lower genital tract. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of women with intra-amniotic infection with intact membranes. Intra-amniotic infection was defined as a positive culture and elevated concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (>2.6 ng/mL) in amniotic fluid and/or acute histologic chorioamnionitis and funisitis. Microorganisms isolated from bacterial cultures of amniotic fluid were taxonomically identified through matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) and 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. Vaginal swabs were obtained at the time of amniocentesis for the identification of microorganisms in the lower genital tract. The overall bacterial profiles of amniotic fluids and vaginal swabs were characterized through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The bacterial profiles of vaginal swabs were interrogated for the presence of bacteria cultured from amniotic fluid and for the presence of prominent (>1% average relative abundance) operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the overall 16S rRNA gene bacterial profiles of amniotic fluid. Results (1) A total of 75% (6/8) of women had bacteria cultured from their amniotic fluid that are typical residents of the vaginal ecosystem. (2) A total of 62.5% (5/8) of women with bacteria cultured from their amniotic fluid also had these bacteria present in their vagina. (3) The microorganisms cultured from amniotic fluid and also detected in the vagina were Ureaplasma urealyticum, Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus agalactiae. (4) 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the amniotic fluid of women with intra-amniotic infection had bacterial profiles dominated by Sneathia, Ureaplasma, Prevotella, Lactobacillus, Escherichia, Gardnerella, Peptostreptococcus, Peptoniphilus, and Streptococcus, many of which had not been cultured from the amniotic fluid samples. (5) Seventy percent (7/10) of the prominent (>1% average relative abundance) OTUs found in amniotic fluid were also prominent in the vagina. Conclusion The majority of women with intra-amniotic infection had bacteria cultured from their amniotic fluid that were typical vaginal commensals, and these bacteria were detected within the vagina at the time of amniocentesis. Molecular microbiological interrogation of amniotic fluid from women with intra-amniotic infection revealed that the bacterial profiles of amniotic fluid were largely consistent with those of the vagina. These findings indicate that ascension from the lower genital tract is the primary pathway for intra-amniotic infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
- Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Perinatal Research Initiative in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Andrew D. Winters
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Eunjung Jung
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Majid Shaman
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Janine Bieda
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Bogdan Panaitescu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Percy Pacora
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Offer Erez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Maternity Department “D,” Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jonathan M. Greenberg
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Madison M. Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Chaur-Dong Hsu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Perinatal Research Initiative in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Kevin R. Theis
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Perinatal Research Initiative in Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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Agostinis C, Mangogna A, Bossi F, Ricci G, Kishore U, Bulla R. Uterine Immunity and Microbiota: A Shifting Paradigm. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2387. [PMID: 31681281 PMCID: PMC6811518 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The female reproductive tract harbors distinct microbial communities, as in the vagina, cervical canal, uterus, and fallopian tubes. The nature of the vaginal microbiota is well-known; in contrast, the upper reproductive tract remains largely unexplored. Alteration in the uterine microbiota, which is dependent on the nutrients and hormones available to the uterus, is likely to play an important role in uterine-related diseases such as hysteromyoma, adenomyosis, and endometriosis. Uterine mucosa is an important tissue barrier whose main function is to offer protection against pathogens and other toxic factors, while maintaining a symbiotic relationship with commensal microbes. These characteristics are shared by all the mucosal tissues; however, the uterine mucosa is unique since it changes cyclically during the menstrual cycle as well as pregnancy. The immune system, besides its role in the defense process, plays crucial roles in reproduction as it ensures local immune tolerance to fetal/paternal antigens, trophoblast invasion, and vascular remodeling. The human endometrium contains a conspicuous number of immune cells, mainly Natural Killers (NK) cells, which are phenotypically distinct from peripheral cytotoxic NK, cells and macrophages. The endometrium also contains few lymphoid aggregates comprising B cell and CD8+ T cells. The number and the phenotype of these cells change during the menstrual cycle. It has become evident in recent years that the immune cell phenotype and function can be influenced by microbiota. Immune cells can sense the presence of microbes through their pattern recognition receptors, setting up host-microbe interaction. The microbiota exerts an appropriately controlled defense mechanism by competing for nutrients and mucosal space with pathogens. It has recently been considered that uterus is a non-sterile compartment since it seems to possess its own microbiota. There has been an increasing interest in characterizing the nature of microbial colonization within the uterus and its apparent impact on fertility and pregnancy. This review will examine the potential relationship between the uterine microbiota and the immune cells present in the local environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Agostinis
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS (Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Fleur Bossi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS (Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS (Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy.,Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Science, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Uday Kishore
- Biosciences, College of Health and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roberta Bulla
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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58
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Vazquez J, Ong IM, Stanic AK. Single-cell technologies in reproductive immunology. Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 82:e13157. [PMID: 31206899 PMCID: PMC6697222 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal-fetal interface represents a unique immune privileged site that maintains the ability to defend against pathogens while orchestrating the necessary tissue remodeling required for placentation. The recent discovery of novel cellular families (innate lymphoid cells, tissue-resident NK cells) suggests that our understanding of the decidual immunome is incomplete. To understand this complex milieu, new technological developments allow reproductive immunologists to collect increasingly complex data at a cellular resolution. Polychromatic flow cytometry allows for greater resolution in the identification of novel cell types by surface and intracellular protein. Single-cell RNA-seq coupled with microfluidics allows for efficient cellular transcriptomics. The extreme dimensionality and size of data sets generated, however, requires the application of novel computational approaches for unbiased analysis. There are now multiple dimensionality reduction (tSNE, SPADE) and visualization tools (SPICE) that allow researchers to efficiently analyze flow cytometry data. Development of computational tools has also been extended to RNA-seq data (including scRNA-seq), which requires specific analytical tools. Here, we provide an overview and a brief primer for the reproductive immunology community on data acquisition and computational tools for the analysis of complex flow cytometry and RNA-seq data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Vazquez
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Irene M Ong
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Division of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
| | - Aleksandar K. Stanic
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
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59
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Abstract
The presence of unusual natural killer cells in human endometrium has been recognized for 30 years, but despite considerable research effort, the
in vivo role of uterine natural killer (uNK) cells in both normal and pathological pregnancy remains uncertain. uNK cells may differentiate from precursors present in endometrium, but migration from peripheral blood in response to chemokine stimuli with
in situ modification to a uNK cell phenotype is also possible. uNK cells produce a wide range of secretory products with diverse effects on trophoblast and spiral arteries which may play an important role in implantation and early placentation. Interactions with other decidual cell populations are also becoming clear. Recent evidence has demonstrated subpopulations of uNK cells and the presence of other innate lymphoid cell populations in decidua which may refine future approaches to investigation of the role of uNK cells in human pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith N Bulmer
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, William Leech Building, Medical School, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Gendie E Lash
- Guangzhou Institute of Pediatrics, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, 9 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510623, China
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60
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Exhausted and Senescent T Cells at the Maternal-Fetal Interface in Preterm and Term Labor. J Immunol Res 2019; 2019:3128010. [PMID: 31263712 PMCID: PMC6556261 DOI: 10.1155/2019/3128010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful pregnancy requires a tightly-regulated equilibrium of immune cell interactions at the maternal-fetal interface (i.e., the decidual tissues), which plays a central role in the inflammatory process of labor. Most of the innate immune cells in this compartment have been well characterized; however, adaptive immune cells are still under investigation. Herein, we performed immunophenotyping of the decidua basalis and decidua parietalis to determine whether exhausted and senescent T cells are present at the maternal-fetal interface and whether the presence of pathological (i.e., preterm) or physiological (i.e., term) labor and/or placental inflammation alter such adaptive immune cells. In addition, decidual exhausted T cells were sorted to test their functional status. We found that (1) exhausted and senescent T cells were present at the maternal-fetal interface and predominantly expressed an effector memory phenotype, (2) exhausted CD4+ T cells increased in the decidua parietalis as gestational age progressed, (3) exhausted CD4+ and CD8+ T cells decreased in the decidua basalis of women who underwent labor at term compared to those without labor, (4) exhausted CD4+ T cells declined with the presence of placental inflammation in the decidua basalis of women with preterm labor, (5) exhausted CD8+ T cells decreased with the presence of placental inflammation in the decidua basalis of women who underwent labor at term, (6) both senescent CD4+ and CD8+ T cells declined with the presence of placental inflammation in the decidua basalis of women who underwent preterm labor, and (7) decidual exhausted T cells produced IFNγ and TNFα upon in vitro stimulation. Collectively, these findings indicate that exhausted and senescent T cells are present at the human maternal-fetal interface and undergo alterations in a subset of women either with labor at term or preterm labor and placental inflammation. Importantly, decidual T cell function can be restored upon stimulation.
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Leng Y, Romero R, Xu Y, Galaz J, Slutsky R, Arenas-Hernandez M, Garcia-Flores V, Motomura K, Hassan SS, Reboldi A, Gomez-Lopez N. Are B cells altered in the decidua of women with preterm or term labor? Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 81:e13102. [PMID: 30768818 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 01/26/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM The immunophenotype of B cells at the maternal-fetal interface (decidua) in labor at term and preterm labor is poorly understood. METHOD OF STUDY Decidual tissues were obtained from women with preterm or term labor and from non-labor gestational age-matched controls. Immunophenotyping of decidual B cells was performed using multicolor flow cytometry. RESULTS (a) In the absence of acute or chronic chorioamnionitis, total B cells were more abundant in the decidua parietalis of women who delivered preterm than in those who delivered at term, regardless of the presence of labor; (b) decidual transitional and naïve B cells were the most abundant B-cell subsets; (c) decidual B1 B cells were increased in women with either labor at term or preterm labor and chronic chorioamnionitis compared to those without this placental lesion; (d) decidual transitional B cells were reduced in women with preterm labor compared to those without labor; (e) naïve, class-switched, and non-class-switched B cells in the decidual tissues underwent mild alterations with the process of preterm labor; (f) decidual plasmablasts seemed to increase in women with either labor at term or preterm labor with chronic chorioamnionitis; and (g) decidual B cells expressed high levels of interleukin (IL)-12, IL-6, and/or IL-35. CONCLUSION Total B cells are not increased with the presence of preterm or term labor; yet, specific subsets (B1 and plasmablasts) undergo alterations in women with chronic chorioamnionitis. Therefore, B cells are solely implicated in the pathological process of preterm labor in a subset of women with chronic inflammation of the placenta. These findings provide insight into the immunology of the maternal-fetal interface in preterm and term labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaozhu Leng
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Yi Xu
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Jose Galaz
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rebecca Slutsky
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan
| | - Marcia Arenas-Hernandez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Valeria Garcia-Flores
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Kenichiro Motomura
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Sonia S Hassan
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Andrea Reboldi
- Department of Pathology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
| | - Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.,Department of Immunology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
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Vazquez J, Chasman DA, Lopez GE, Tyler CT, Ong IM, Stanic AK. Transcriptional and Functional Programming of Decidual Innate Lymphoid Cells. Front Immunol 2019; 10:3065. [PMID: 32038619 PMCID: PMC6992589 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A successful pregnancy requires many physiological adaptations from the mother, including the establishment of tolerance toward the semiallogeneic fetus. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have arisen as important players in immune regulation and tissue homeostasis at mucosal and barrier surfaces. Dimensionality reduction and transcriptomic analysis revealed the presence of two novel CD56Bright decidual ILCs that express low T-bet and divergent Eomes levels. Transcriptional correlation with recently identified first trimester decidual dNKs suggests that these novel decidual ILCs might be present throughout pregnancy. Functional testing with permutation analysis revealed production of multiple factors by individual cells, with a preference for IFNγ and VEGF. Overall, our data suggests continuity of a unique decidual innate lymphocytes across pregnancy with a polyfunctional functional profile conducive for pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Vazquez
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Deborah A. Chasman
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Gladys E. Lopez
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Chanel T. Tyler
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Irene M. Ong
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Aleksandar K. Stanic
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Aleksandar K. Stanic
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