1
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Yu J, Yan Y, Li S, Xu Y, Parolia A, Rizvi S, Wang W, Zhai Y, Xiao R, Li X, Liao P, Zhou J, Okla K, Lin H, Lin X, Grove S, Wei S, Vatan L, Hu J, Szumilo J, Kotarski J, Freeman ZT, Skala S, Wicha M, Cho KR, Chinnaiyan AM, Schon S, Wen F, Kryczek I, Wang S, Chen L, Zou W. Progestogen-driven B7-H4 contributes to onco-fetal immune tolerance. Cell 2024; 187:4713-4732.e19. [PMID: 38968937 PMCID: PMC11344674 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Immune tolerance mechanisms are shared in cancer and pregnancy. Through cross-analyzing single-cell RNA-sequencing data from multiple human cancer types and the maternal-fetal interface, we found B7-H4 (VTCN1) is an onco-fetal immune tolerance checkpoint. We showed that genetic deficiency of B7-H4 resulted in immune activation and fetal resorption in allogeneic pregnancy models. Analogously, B7-H4 contributed to MPA/DMBA-induced breast cancer progression, accompanied by CD8+ T cell exhaustion. Female hormone screening revealed that progesterone stimulated B7-H4 expression in placental and breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, progesterone receptor (PR) bound to a newly identified -58 kb enhancer, thereby mediating B7-H4 transcription via the PR-P300-BRD4 axis. PR antagonist or BRD4 degrader potentiated immunotherapy in a murine B7-H4+ breast cancer model. Thus, our work unravels a mechanistic and biological connection of a female sex hormone (progesterone) to onco-fetal immune tolerance via B7-H4 and suggests that the PR-P300-BRD4 axis is targetable for treating B7-H4+ cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiali Yu
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yijian Yan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shasha Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ying Xu
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Abhijit Parolia
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Syed Rizvi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan School of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Weichao Wang
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yiwen Zhai
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rongxin Xiao
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xiong Li
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Peng Liao
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jiajia Zhou
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Karolina Okla
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Oncological Gynecology and Gynecology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Heng Lin
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Xun Lin
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sara Grove
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shuang Wei
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Linda Vatan
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jiantao Hu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Justyna Szumilo
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jan Kotarski
- Department of Oncological Gynecology and Gynecology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Zachary T Freeman
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Stephanie Skala
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Max Wicha
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kathleen R Cho
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Arul M Chinnaiyan
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Samantha Schon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Fei Wen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan School of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ilona Kryczek
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shaomeng Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lieping Chen
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Weiping Zou
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Center of Excellence for Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Graduate Program in Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Graduate Program in Cancer Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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2
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Pollard JM, Hynes G, Yin D, Mandal M, Gounari F, Alegre ML, Chong AS. Pregnancy dedifferentiates memory CD8+ T cells into hypofunctional cells with exhaustion-enriched programs. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e176381. [PMID: 38771643 PMCID: PMC11383355 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.176381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Alloreactive memory, unlike naive, CD8+ T cells resist transplantation tolerance protocols and are a critical barrier to long-term graft acceptance in the clinic. We here show that semiallogeneic pregnancy successfully reprogrammed memory fetus/graft-specific CD8+ T cells (TFGS) toward hypofunction. Female C57BL/6 mice harboring memory CD8+ T cells generated by the rejection of BALB/c skin grafts and then mated with BALB/c males achieved rates of pregnancy comparable with naive controls. Postpartum CD8+ TFGS from skin-sensitized dams upregulated expression of T cell exhaustion (TEX) markers (Tox, Eomes, PD-1, TIGIT, and Lag3). Transcriptional analysis corroborated an enrichment of canonical TEX genes in postpartum memory TFGS and revealed a downregulation of a subset of memory-associated transcripts. Strikingly, pregnancy induced extensive epigenetic modifications of exhaustion- and memory-associated genes in memory TFGS, whereas minimal epigenetic modifications were observed in naive TFGS. Finally, postpartum memory TFGS durably expressed the exhaustion-enriched phenotype, and their susceptibility to transplantation tolerance was significantly restored compared with memory TFGS. These findings advance the concept of pregnancy as an epigenetic modulator inducing hypofunction in memory CD8+ T cells that has relevance not only for pregnancy and transplantation tolerance, but also for tumor immunity and chronic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Grace Hynes
- Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, and
| | - Dengping Yin
- Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, and
| | - Malay Mandal
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Fotini Gounari
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Maria-Luisa Alegre
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anita S Chong
- Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, and
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Nakashima A, Furuta A, Yoshida-Kawaguchi M, Yamada K, Nunomura H, Morita K, Yasuda I, Yoneda S, Yamaki-Ushijima A, Shima T, Tsuda S. Immunological regulation and the role of autophagy in preeclampsia. Am J Reprod Immunol 2024; 91:e13835. [PMID: 38467995 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a bulk degradation system that maintains cellular homeostasis by producing energy and/or recycling excess proteins. During early placentation, extravillous trophoblasts invade the decidua and uterine myometrium, facing maternal immune cells, which participate in the immune suppression of paternal and fetal antigens. Regulatory T cells will likely increase in response to a specific antigen before and during early pregnancy. Insufficient expansion of antigen-specific Treg cells, which possess the same T cell receptor, is associated with the pathophysiology of preeclampsia, suggesting sterile systemic inflammation. Autophagy is involved in reducing inflammation through the degradation of inflammasomes and in the differentiation and function of regulatory T cells. Autophagy dysregulation induces protein aggregation in trophoblasts, resulting in placental dysfunction. In this review, we discuss the role of regulatory T cells in normal pregnancies. In addition, we discuss the association between autophagy and regulatory T cells in the development of preeclampsia based on reports on the role of autophagy in autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akitoshi Nakashima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Atsushi Furuta
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Mihoko Yoshida-Kawaguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kiyotaka Yamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Haruka Nunomura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Keiko Morita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Ippei Yasuda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yoneda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Akemi Yamaki-Ushijima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Tomoko Shima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Sayaka Tsuda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
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4
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Chen Z, Zhang Y, Kwak-Kim J, Wang W. Memory regulatory T cells in pregnancy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1209706. [PMID: 37954599 PMCID: PMC10637476 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1209706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy requires the process of maternal immune tolerance to semi-allogeneic embryos. In contrast, an overreactive maternal immune system to embryo-specific antigens is likely to result in the rejection of embryos while damaging the invading placenta, such that the likelihood of adverse pregnancy outcomes can be increased. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are capable of suppressing excessive immune responses and regulating immune homeostasis. When stimulating Tregs, specific antigens will differentiate into memory Tregs with long-term survival and rapid and powerful immune regulatory ability. Immunomodulatory effects mediated by memory Tregs at the maternal-fetal interface take on critical significance in a successful pregnancy. The impaired function of memory Tregs shows a correlation with various pregnancy complications (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, and recurrent pregnancy losses). However, the differentiation process and characteristics of memory Tregs, especially their role in pregnancy, remain unclear. In this study, a review is presented in terms of memory Tregs differentiation and activation, the characteristics of memory Tregs and their role in pregnancy, and the correlation between memory Tregs and pregnancy complications. Furthermore, several potential therapeutic methods are investigated to restore the function of memory Tregs in accordance with immunopathologies arising from memory Tregs abnormalities and provide novel targets for diagnosing and treating pregnancy-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyang Chen
- School of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
- Reproduction Medical Center, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Zhang
- School of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, China
| | - Joanne Kwak-Kim
- Reproductive Medicine and Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Sciences Department, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL, United States
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- Reproduction Medical Center, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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5
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Modzelewski S, Oracz A, Iłendo K, Sokół A, Waszkiewicz N. Biomarkers of Postpartum Depression: A Narrative Review. J Clin Med 2023; 12:6519. [PMID: 37892657 PMCID: PMC10607683 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12206519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a disorder that impairs the formation of the relationship between mother and child, and reduces the quality of life for affected women to a functionally significant degree. Studying markers associated with PPD can help in early detection, prevention, or monitoring treatment. The purpose of this paper is to review biomarkers linked to PPD and to present selected theories on the pathogenesis of the disease based on data from biomarker studies. The complex etiology of the disorder reduces the specificity and sensitivity of markers, but they remain a valuable source of information to help clinicians. The biggest challenge of the future will be to translate high-tech methods for detecting markers associated with postpartum depression into more readily available and less costly ones. Population-based studies are needed to test the utility of potential PPD markers.
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6
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Lewis EL, Reichenberger ER, Anton L, Gonzalez MV, Taylor DM, Porrett PM, Elovitz MA. Regulatory T cell adoptive transfer alters uterine immune populations, increasing a novel MHC-II low macrophage associated with healthy pregnancy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1256453. [PMID: 37901247 PMCID: PMC10611509 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1256453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD) - fetal loss after 20 weeks - affects 6 pregnancies per 1,000 live births in the United States, and the majority are of unknown etiology. Maternal systemic regulatory T cell (Treg) deficits have been implicated in fetal loss, but whether mucosal immune cells at the maternal-fetal interface contribute to fetal loss is under-explored. We hypothesized that the immune cell composition and function of the uterine mucosa would contribute to the pathogenesis of IUFD. To investigate local immune mechanisms of IUFD, we used the CBA mouse strain, which naturally has mid-late gestation fetal loss. We performed a Treg adoptive transfer and interrogated both pregnancy outcomes and the impact of systemic maternal Tregs on mucosal immune populations at the maternal-fetal interface. Treg transfer prevented fetal loss and increased an MHC-IIlow population of uterine macrophages. Single-cell RNA-sequencing was utilized to precisely evaluate the impact of systemic Tregs on uterine myeloid populations. A population of C1q+, Trem2+, MHC-IIlow uterine macrophages were increased in Treg-recipient mice. The transcriptional signature of this novel uterine macrophage subtype is enriched in multiple studies of human healthy decidual macrophages, suggesting a conserved role for these macrophages in preventing fetal loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Lewis
- Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Erin R. Reichenberger
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lauren Anton
- Center for Research on Reproduction and Women’s Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michael V. Gonzalez
- Center for Cytokine Storm Treatment & Laboratory, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Center for Applied Genomics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Deanne M. Taylor
- Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Paige M. Porrett
- Department of Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Michal A. Elovitz
- Women’s Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
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7
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Zeng S, Liu Y, Fan P, Yang L, Liu X. Role of leptin in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. Placenta 2023; 142:128-134. [PMID: 37713744 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe pregnancy complication. The exact pathogenesis of PE remains unclear, but it is related to immune, inflammatory, circulatory, and oxidative stress factors. Leptin is a protein involved in these processes and is essential for maintaining a normal pregnancy and healthy fetal growth. Abnormal increases in leptin levels have been observed in the peripheral blood and placenta of patients with PE. Disturbances in leptin can affect the proliferation and hypertrophy of vascular smooth muscle cells, which are important for placentation. Leptin also regulates arterial tension and trophoblast function in pregnant women. In addition, consistently high levels of leptin are linked to hyperactive inflammation and oxidative stress reactions in both patients with PE and animal models. This review focuses on the role of leptin in the pathophysiology of PE and elucidates its potential mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zeng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Genetic Disease and Perinatal Medicine, Laboratory of the Key Perinatal Disease and Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yijun Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Genetic Disease and Perinatal Medicine, Laboratory of the Key Perinatal Disease and Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ping Fan
- Laboratory of Genetic Disease and Perinatal Medicine, Laboratory of the Key Perinatal Disease and Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Luming Yang
- Chongqing University Medical School, Chongqing, China
| | - Xinghui Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Genetic Disease and Perinatal Medicine, Laboratory of the Key Perinatal Disease and Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Disease of Women and Children, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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8
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Porrett PM. How mothers tolerate their children. Science 2023; 381:1286. [PMID: 37733842 DOI: 10.1126/science.adk1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Shifting pools of antigen can influence pregnancy-induced immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige M Porrett
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
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9
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Lin X, Li Z, Gong G, Wang H, Fang X, Mor G, Liao A. The immune checkpoint protein PD-1: Its emerging regulatory role in memory T cells. J Reprod Immunol 2023; 159:104130. [PMID: 37591180 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2023.104130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Immunological memory helps the body rapidly develop immune defense when it re-encounters a bacterial or viral strain or encounters a similar mutation in healthy cells. The immune checkpoint molecule programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) influences memory T cell differentiation. However, the mechanism by which PD-1 regulates the development and maintenance of memory T cells and its impact on memory T cells function remain unclear. In this review, we first discuss the structure and function of PD-1 and then summarize the roles of PD-1 as a marker of tumor memory T cells and in tumor immunotherapy. We also discuss the potential mechanisms through which PD-1 regulates memory T cells development and maintenance during immune diseases such as viral infection-mediated diseases, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis, and list the effects of PD-1 on memory T cells in pregnancy and their function in maternal-fetal immune balance. A complete understanding of how PD-1 influences the development, maintenance, and function of memory T cells will provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxiu Lin
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Zhijing Li
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Guangshun Gong
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Huan Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Xuhui Fang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Gil Mor
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China; C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Aihua Liao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China.
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10
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Espinosa CA, Khan W, Khanam R, Das S, Khalid J, Pervin J, Kasaro MP, Contrepois K, Chang AL, Phongpreecha T, Michael B, Ellenberger M, Mehmood U, Hotwani A, Nizar A, Kabir F, Wong RJ, Becker M, Berson E, Culos A, De Francesco D, Mataraso S, Ravindra N, Thuraiappah M, Xenochristou M, Stelzer IA, Marić I, Dutta A, Raqib R, Ahmed S, Rahman S, Hasan ASMT, Ali SM, Juma MH, Rahman M, Aktar S, Deb S, Price JT, Wise PH, Winn VD, Druzin ML, Gibbs RS, Darmstadt GL, Murray JC, Stringer JSA, Gaudilliere B, Snyder MP, Angst MS, Rahman A, Baqui AH, Jehan F, Nisar MI, Vwalika B, Sazawal S, Shaw GM, Stevenson DK, Aghaeepour N. Multiomic signals associated with maternal epidemiological factors contributing to preterm birth in low- and middle-income countries. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eade7692. [PMID: 37224249 PMCID: PMC10208584 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ade7692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Preterm birth (PTB) is the leading cause of death in children under five, yet comprehensive studies are hindered by its multiple complex etiologies. Epidemiological associations between PTB and maternal characteristics have been previously described. This work used multiomic profiling and multivariate modeling to investigate the biological signatures of these characteristics. Maternal covariates were collected during pregnancy from 13,841 pregnant women across five sites. Plasma samples from 231 participants were analyzed to generate proteomic, metabolomic, and lipidomic datasets. Machine learning models showed robust performance for the prediction of PTB (AUROC = 0.70), time-to-delivery (r = 0.65), maternal age (r = 0.59), gravidity (r = 0.56), and BMI (r = 0.81). Time-to-delivery biological correlates included fetal-associated proteins (e.g., ALPP, AFP, and PGF) and immune proteins (e.g., PD-L1, CCL28, and LIFR). Maternal age negatively correlated with collagen COL9A1, gravidity with endothelial NOS and inflammatory chemokine CXCL13, and BMI with leptin and structural protein FABP4. These results provide an integrated view of epidemiological factors associated with PTB and identify biological signatures of clinical covariates affecting this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo A. Espinosa
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Waqasuddin Khan
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Rasheda Khanam
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sayan Das
- Centre for Public Health Kinetics, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Javairia Khalid
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Jesmin Pervin
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Margaret P. Kasaro
- University of North Carolina Global Projects Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kévin Contrepois
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alan L. Chang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thanaphong Phongpreecha
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Basil Michael
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mathew Ellenberger
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Usma Mehmood
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Aneeta Hotwani
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ambreen Nizar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Furqan Kabir
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ronald J. Wong
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Martin Becker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eloise Berson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anthony Culos
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Computer Science, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Davide De Francesco
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Samson Mataraso
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Neal Ravindra
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Melan Thuraiappah
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maria Xenochristou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ina A. Stelzer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ivana Marić
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Arup Dutta
- Centre for Public Health Kinetics, New Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Rubhana Raqib
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | - Said M. Ali
- Public Health Laboratory—Ivo de Carneri, Pemba, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Mohamed H. Juma
- Public Health Laboratory—Ivo de Carneri, Pemba, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Monjur Rahman
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shaki Aktar
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Saikat Deb
- Centre for Public Health Kinetics, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Public Health Laboratory—Ivo de Carneri, Pemba, Zanzibar, Tanzania
| | - Joan T. Price
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Paul H. Wise
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Virginia D. Winn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Maurice L. Druzin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Ronald S. Gibbs
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Gary L. Darmstadt
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey S. A. Stringer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael P. Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Martin S. Angst
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Anisur Rahman
- Maternal and Child Health Division, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah H. Baqui
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Fyezah Jehan
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Imran Nisar
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Bellington Vwalika
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Zambia School of Medicine, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Sunil Sazawal
- Centre for Public Health Kinetics, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gary M. Shaw
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David K. Stevenson
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nima Aghaeepour
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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11
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Giles ML, Sing Way S, Marchant A, Aghaepour N, James T, Schaltz-Buchholzer F, Zazara D, Arck P, Kollmann TR. Maternal vaccination to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes: An underutilized molecular immunological intervention? J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168097. [PMID: 37080422 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Adverse pregnancy outcomes including maternal mortality, stillbirth, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction cause millions of deaths each year. More effective interventions are urgently needed. Maternal immunization could be one such intervention protecting the mother and newborn from infection through its pathogen-specific effects. However, many adverse pregnancy outcomes are not directly linked to the infectious pathogens targeted by existing maternal vaccines but rather are linked to pathological inflammation unfolding during pregnancy. The underlying pathogenesis driving such unfavourable outcomes have only partially been elucidated but appear to relate to altered immune regulation by innate as well as adaptive immune responses, ultimately leading to aberrant maternal immune activation. Maternal immunization, like all immunization, impacts the immune system beyond pathogen-specific immunity. This raises the possibility that maternal vaccination could potentially be utilised as a pathogen-agnostic immune modulatory intervention to redirect abnormal immune trajectories towards a more favourable phenotype providing pregnancy protection. In this review we describe the epidemiological evidence surrounding this hypothesis, along with the mechanistic plausibility and present a possible path forward to accelerate addressing the urgent need of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sing Sing Way
- Center for Inflammation and Tolerance; Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati USA
| | | | - Nima Aghaepour
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tomin James
- Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Dimitra Zazara
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petra Arck
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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12
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Chen Z, Huang J, Kwak-Kim J, Wang W. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and reproductive failures. J Reprod Immunol 2023; 156:103799. [PMID: 36724630 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2023.103799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The human conceptus is a semi-allograft, which is antigenically foreign to the mother. Hence, the implantation process needs mechanisms to prevent allograft rejection during successful pregnancy. Immune checkpoints are a group of inhibitory pathways expressed on the surface of various immune cells in the form of ligand receptors. Immune cells possess these pathways to regulate the magnitude of immune responses and induce maternal-fetal tolerance. Briefly, 1) CTLA-4 can weaken T cell receptor (TCR) signals and inhibit T cell response; 2) The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway can reduce T cell proliferation, enhance T cell anergy and fatigue, reduce cytokine production, and increase T regulatory cell activity to complete the immunosuppression; 3) TIM3 interacts with T cells by binding Gal-9, weakening Th1 cell-mediated immunity and T cell apoptosis; 4) The LAG-3 binding to MHC II can inhibit T cell activation by interfering with the binding of CD4 to MHC II, and; 5) TIGIT can release inhibitory signals to NK and T cells through the ITIM structure of its cytoplasmic tail. Therefore, dysregulated immune checkpoints or the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors may impair human reproduction. This review intends to deliver a comprehensive overview of immune checkpoints in pregnancy, including CTLA-4, PD-1/PD-L1, TIM-3, LAG-3, TIGIT, and their inhibitors, reviewing their roles in normal and pathological human pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeyang Chen
- School of Medicine, Qingdao University, 38 Dengzhou Road, Qingdao 266000, PR China; Reproduction Medical Center, Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Jinxia Huang
- Reproduction Medical Center, Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China; Department of Gynecology, Weihai Central Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, 3 Mishan East Road, Weihai 264400, PR China
| | - Joanne Kwak-Kim
- Reproductive Medicine and Immunology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Clinical Sciences Department, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL 60061, USA; Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.
| | - Wenjuan Wang
- Reproduction Medical Center, Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 1665 Kongjiang Road, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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13
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Cardenas MC, Cheek-Norgan EH, Branda ME, Norgan AP, Schenone MH, Lemens MA, Chakraborty R, Ruano R, Enninga EAL. Fetal surgery is not associated with increased inflammatory placental pathology. Prenat Diagn 2023; 43:382-392. [PMID: 36688485 PMCID: PMC10132489 DOI: 10.1002/pd.6319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Fetal surgery has improved neonatal outcomes; however, it is unknown if the intervention contributes to the developmental of inflammatory pathologies in the placenta. Here, an association between fetal surgery and placental pathology was examined. METHOD This case-control study compared pregnancies with fetal surgery (n = 22), pregnancies with an indication for fetal surgery but without an intervention being done (n = 13), and gestational-age and fetus-number matched controls (n = 36). Data on maternal, infant, and placental outcomes were abstracted. Additionally, immunohistochemistry identified expression of lymphoid and myeloid cells in the placenta on a subset of cases. Comparisons were performed using Kruskal-Wallis or Pearson's chi-squared tests. RESULTS Maternal characteristics were comparable between groups. Most fetal interventions were for diaphragmatic hernia, spina bifida, or twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Fetuses who were operated on before birth were more likely to be born preterm (p = 0.02). There was no increase in the rate of observed placental pathologies or immune cell infiltration in fetal surgery cases compared to controls. CONCLUSION The data suggest that fetal surgery is not associated with increased inflammatory or morphologic pathology in the placenta. This observation supports the growing field of fetal surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C. Cardenas
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | - Megan E. Branda
- Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Andrew P. Norgan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | | | | | - Rana Chakraborty
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
| | - Rodrigo Ruano
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL (present address)
| | - Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
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14
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Wang J, Zhao SJ, Wang LL, Lin XX, Mor G, Liao AH. Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B: A novel immune checkpoint molecule at the maternal-fetal interface. J Reprod Immunol 2023; 155:103764. [PMID: 36434938 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Due to their crucial roles in embryo implantation, maternal-fetal tolerance induction, and pregnancy progression, immune checkpoint molecules (ICMs), such as programmed cell death-1, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, and T cell immunoglobulin mucin 3, are considered potential targets for clinical intervention in pregnancy complications. Despite the considerable progress on these molecules, our understanding of ICMs at the maternal-fetal interface is still limited. Identification of alternative and novel ICMs and the combination of multiple ICMs is urgently needed for deeply understanding the mechanism of maternal-fetal tolerance and to discover the causes of pregnancy complications. Leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B (LILRB) is a novel class of ICMs with strong negative regulatory effects on the immune response. Recent studies have revealed that LILRB is enriched in decidual immune cells and stromal cells at the maternal-fetal interface, which can modulate the biological behavior of immune cells and promote immune tolerance. In this review, we introduce the structural features, expression profiles, ligands, and orthologs of LILRB. In addition, the potential mechanisms and functions mediated by LILRB for sustaining the maternal-fetal tolerance microenvironment, remodeling the uterine spiral artery, and induction of pregnancy immune memory are summarized. We have also provided new suggestions for further understanding the roles of LILRB and potential therapeutic strategies for pregnancy-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Si-Jia Zhao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Li-Ling Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Xin-Xiu Lin
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China
| | - Gil Mor
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China; C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ai-Hua Liao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, PR China.
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15
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Crump LS, Kines KT, Richer JK, Lyons TR. Breast cancers co-opt normal mechanisms of tolerance to promote immune evasion and metastasis. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C1475-C1495. [PMID: 36189970 PMCID: PMC9662806 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00189.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Normal developmental processes, such as those seen during embryonic development and postpartum mammary gland involution, can be reactivated by cancer cells to promote immune suppression, tumor growth, and metastatic spread. In mammalian embryos, paternal-derived antigens are at risk of being recognized as foreign by the maternal immune system. Suppression of the maternal immune response toward the fetus, which is mediated in part by the trophoblast, is critical to ensure embryonic survival and development. The postpartum mammary microenvironment also exhibits immunosuppressive mechanisms accompanying the massive cell death and tissue remodeling that occurs during mammary gland involution. These normal immunosuppressive mechanisms are paralleled during malignant transformation, where tumors can develop neoantigens that may be recognized as foreign by the immune system. To circumvent this, tumors can dedifferentiate and co-opt immune-suppressive mechanisms normally utilized during fetal tolerance and postpartum mammary involution. In this review, we discuss those similarities and how they can inform our understanding of cancer progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey S Crump
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Kelsey T Kines
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Jennifer K Richer
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
| | - Traci R Lyons
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- Young Women's Breast Cancer Translational Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
- University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, Colorado
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16
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Breast Cancer during Pregnancy as a Special Type of Early-Onset Breast Cancer: Analysis of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Risk Profiles. Cells 2022; 11:cells11152286. [PMID: 35892583 PMCID: PMC9332147 DOI: 10.3390/cells11152286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC) is a rare tumor with only a little information on its immune landscape. Here, we sought to characterize the cellular composition of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of PrBC and identify its differences from early-onset breast cancer (EOBC) in non-pregnant women. A total of 83 PrBC and 89 EOBC were selected from our Institutional registry and subjected to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) profiling and immunohistochemistry for CD4, CD8, forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (clone 22C3). A significantly lower frequency of hormone receptor (HR)-positive tumors was observed in PrBC. The prevalence of low/null PD-L1 and CD8+TILs was higher in PrBC than in the controls, specifically in HR+/HER2– breast cancers. PrBC had a significantly higher risk of relapse and disease-related death, compared to EOBC. The presence of TILs and each TIL subpopulation were significantly associated with disease relapse. Moreover, the death rate was higher in PrBC with CD8+ TILs. The TME of PrBC is characterized by specific patterns of TIL subpopulations with significant biological and prognostic roles. Routine assessment of TILs and TILs subtyping in these patients would be a valid addition to the pathology report that might help identify clinically relevant subsets of women with PrBC.
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17
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Rizzuto G, Erlebacher A. Trophoblast antigens, fetal blood cell antigens, and the paradox of fetomaternal tolerance. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20211515. [PMID: 35416936 PMCID: PMC9011327 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The paradox of fetomaternal tolerance has puzzled immunologists and reproductive biologists alike for almost 70 yr. Even the idea that the conceptus evokes a uniformly tolerogenic immune response in the mother is contradicted by the long-appreciated ability of pregnant women to mount robust antibody responses to paternal HLA molecules and RBC alloantigens such as Rh(D). Synthesizing these older observations with more recent work in mice, we discuss how the decision between tolerance or immunity to a given fetoplacental antigen appears to be a function of whether the antigen is trophoblast derived-and thus decorated with immunosuppressive glycans-or fetal blood cell derived.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Rizzuto
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Adrian Erlebacher
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
- Bakar ImmunoX Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
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18
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Durgam SS, Alegre ML, Chong AS. Toward an understanding of allogeneic conflict in pregnancy and transplantation. J Exp Med 2022; 219:213135. [PMID: 35416935 PMCID: PMC9011201 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20211493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is recognized as a spontaneously acquired state of immunological tolerance by the mother to her semi-allogeneic fetus, but it is a major cause of allosensitization in candidates for organ transplantation. This sensitization, assessed by the presence of anti-HLA IgG, contributes to sex disparity in access to transplantation and increases the risk for rejection and graft loss. Understanding this dual tolerance/sensitization conundrum may lead to new strategies for equalizing access to transplantation among sexes and improving transplant outcomes in parous women. Here, we review the clinical evidence that pregnancy results in humoral sensitization and query whether T cell responses are sensitized. Furthermore, we summarize preclinical evidence on the effects of pregnancy on fetus-specific CD4+ conventional, regulatory, and CD8+ T cells, and humoral responses. We end with a discussion on the impact of the divergent effects that pregnancy has upon alloantigen re-encounter in the context of solid organ transplantation, and how these insights point to a therapeutic roadmap for controlling pregnancy-dependent allosensitization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samarth S Durgam
- Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Maria-Luisa Alegre
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
| | - Anita S Chong
- Section of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
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19
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Zhao SJ, Muyayalo KP, Luo J, Huang D, Mor G, Liao AH. Next generation of immune checkpoint molecules in maternal-fetal immunity. Immunol Rev 2022; 308:40-54. [PMID: 35234305 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Successful pregnancy is a unique situation requires the maternal immune system to recognize and tolerate a semi-identical fetus and allow normal invasion of trophoblast cells. Although efforts have been made, the deep mechanisms of the maternal-fetal crosstalk have not yet been fully deciphered. Immune checkpoint molecules (ICMs) are a group of negative modulators of the immune response that avoid immune damage. They have been extensively studied in the fields of oncology and transplantation, while the latest evidence suggests that they are closely associated with pregnancy outcomes via multiple inhibitory mechanisms. Although studies have mostly demonstrated the regulatory role of the well-known PD-1, CTLA-4 at the maternal-fetal interface, what is unique about the newly discovered multiple ICMs remains a mystery. Here, we review the latest knowledge on ICMs, focusing on the first generation of checkpoints (PD-1, CTLA-4) and the next generation (Tim-3, Tigit, Lag-3, VISTA) highlighting their immunoregulatory roles in maternal-fetal tolerance and decidual vascular remodeling, and their involvement in pathological pregnancies. The content covers three aspects: the characteristics they possess, the dynamic expression profile of their expression at the maternal-fetal interface, and their involvement in pathological pregnancy. In immunotherapy strategies for pregnancy complications, upregulation of immune checkpoints may play a role. Meanwhile, the impact on pregnancy outcomes when using ICMs in clinical cancer treatment during pregnancy is a topic worth exploring. These may serve as a guide for future basic research and clinical applications of maternal-fetal immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Jia Zhao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Kahindo P Muyayalo
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jing Luo
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Donghui Huang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Gil Mor
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Ai-Hua Liao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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20
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Rizzuto G, Brooks JF, Tuomivaara ST, McIntyre TI, Ma S, Rideaux D, Zikherman J, Fisher SJ, Erlebacher A. Establishment of fetomaternal tolerance through glycan-mediated B cell suppression. Nature 2022; 603:497-502. [PMID: 35236989 PMCID: PMC9592526 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04471-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Discrimination of self from non-self is fundamental to a wide range of immunological processes1. During pregnancy, the mother does not recognize the placenta as immunologically foreign because antigens expressed by trophoblasts, the placental cells that interface with the maternal immune system, do not activate maternal T cells2. Currently, these activation defects are thought to reflect suppression by regulatory T cells3. By contrast, mechanisms of B cell tolerance to trophoblast antigens have not been identified. Here we provide evidence that glycan-mediated B cell suppression has a key role in establishing fetomaternal tolerance in mice. B cells specific for a model trophoblast antigen are strongly suppressed through CD22-LYN inhibitory signalling, which in turn implicates the sialylated glycans of the antigen as key suppressive determinants. Moreover, B cells mediate the MHC-class-II-restricted presentation of antigens to CD4+ T cells, which leads to T cell suppression, and trophoblast-derived sialoglycoproteins are released into the maternal circulation during pregnancy in mice and humans. How protein glycosylation promotes non-immunogenic placental self-recognition may have relevance to immune-mediated pregnancy complications and to tumour immune evasion. We also anticipate that our findings will bolster efforts to harness glycan biology to control antigen-specific immune responses in autoimmune disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Rizzuto
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J F Brooks
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S T Tuomivaara
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Sandler-Moore Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - T I McIntyre
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S Ma
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - D Rideaux
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - J Zikherman
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Bakar ImmunoX Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - S J Fisher
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - A Erlebacher
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Bakar ImmunoX Initiative, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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21
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Fenizia C, Cetin I, Mileto D, Vanetti C, Saulle I, Di Giminiani M, Saresella M, Parisi F, Trabattoni D, Clerici M, Biasin M, Savasi V. Pregnant Women Develop a Specific Immunological Long-Lived Memory Against SARS-COV-2. Front Immunol 2022; 13:827889. [PMID: 35251011 PMCID: PMC8889908 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.827889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that pregnancy induces deep changes in the immune system. This is part of the physiological adaptation of the female organism to the pregnancy and the immunological tolerance toward the fetus. Indeed, over the three trimesters, the suppressive T regulatory lymphocytes are progressively more represented, while the expression of co-stimulatory molecules decreases overtime. Such adaptations relate to an increased risk of infections and progression to severe disease in pregnant women, potentially resulting in an altered generation of long-lived specific immunological memory of infection contracted during pregnancy. How potent is the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 in infected pregnant women and how long the specific SARS-CoV-2 immunity might last need to be urgently addressed, especially considering the current vaccinal campaign. To address these questions, we analyzed the long-term immunological response upon SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women from delivery to a six-months follow-up. In particular, we investigated the specific antibody production, T cell memory subsets, and inflammation profile. Results show that 80% developed an anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG response, comparable with the general population. While IgG were present only in 50% of the asymptomatic subjects, the antibody production was elicited by infection in all the mild-to-critical patients. The specific T-cell memory subsets rebalanced over-time, and the pro-inflammatory profile triggered by specific SARS-CoV-2 stimulation faded away. These results shed light on SARS-CoV-2-specific immunity in pregnant women; understanding the immunological dynamics of the immune system in response to SARS-CoV-2 is essential for defining proper obstetric management of pregnant women and fine tune gender-specific vaccinal plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Fenizia
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Cetin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Woman, Mother and Neonate Buzzi Children’s Hospital, ASST Fatebenefratelli‐Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Mileto
- Clinical Microbiology, Virology and Bio-emergence Diagnosis, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Vanetti
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Irma Saulle
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Di Giminiani
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Parisi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Daria Trabattoni
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Fondazione don Carlo Gnocchi, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Biasin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Savasi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy
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22
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Robillard PY, Dekker G, Scioscia M, Saito S. Progress in the understanding of the pathophysiology of immunologic maladaptation related to early-onset preeclampsia and metabolic syndrome related to late-onset preeclampsia. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022; 226:S867-S875. [PMID: 35177223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.11.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Among mammalian species, human reproduction has 2 outstanding features. The human hemochorial placentation is characterized by a very deep endovascular trophoblast invasion in the spiral arteries, reaching deep into the myometrium. This requires an agonistic direct cell-cell interaction between the maternal immune system and semiallogeneic trophoblast. The second feature is preeclampsia, a heterogeneous syndrome, a uniquely human condition. The human female is one of the few mammals exposed to her partner's semen on multiple occasions before conception. Regulatory T cells, especially paternal antigen-specific regulatory T cells, play an important role in the maintenance of pregnancy. Sexual intercourse increases the number of dendritic cells in the uterus that play an important role in the induction of paternal antigen-specific regulatory T cells. Paternal antigen-specific regulatory T cells maintain pregnancy by inducing tolerance. In the decidua basalis of preeclamptic cases, clonal regulatory T cells are reduced; these would normally monoclonally expand to recognize fetal or paternal antigens. Programmed cell death-1 expressed on T cells regulate cytotoxic T-cell activity and protect the fetus against maternal rejection. Programmed cell death-1 expression on clonal cytotoxic T cells is reduced in preeclampsia especially in early-onset preeclampsia, making the fetus and placenta vulnerable to attack by cytotoxic T cells. These phenomena can explain the epidemiologic phenomenon that preeclampsia is more common in couples using condom contraception, with shorter cohabitation periods, first pregnancies, first pregnancies in multiparous women when they change partner, and pregnancies after assisted reproduction using donated gametes. In contrast to its importance in early-onset preeclampsia, shallow trophoblast invasion does not play a role in the development of preeclampsia, that is, immune maladaptation does not seem to be involved. Late-onset preeclampsia (>34 weeks' gestation), representing 80% to 90% of preeclampsia in most developed countries with a "Western lifestyle," is strongly associated with maternal cardiometabolic variables (metabolic syndrome). Although the underlying pathophysiology might be quite different, syncytiotrophoblast stress is the final common pathway leading to the maternal syndrome among the subtypes of preeclampsia by causing an imbalance between proangiogenic factors (placental growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor) and antiangiogenic factors (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 and soluble endoglin). Low-dose aspirin, started before 16 week's gestation, will prevent up to 60% of early-onset preeclampsia but will not prevent late-onset preeclampsia. Optimizing prepregnancy weight and controlling gestational weight gain may be the most effective ways to prevent preeclampsia.
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23
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Lewis EL, Xu R, Beltra JC, Ngiow SF, Cohen J, Telange R, Crane A, Sawinski D, Wherry EJ, Porrett PM. NFAT-dependent and -independent exhaustion circuits program maternal CD8 T cell hypofunction in pregnancy. J Exp Med 2022; 219:e20201599. [PMID: 34882194 PMCID: PMC8666877 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20201599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is a common immunization event, but the molecular mechanisms and immunological consequences provoked by pregnancy remain largely unknown. We used mouse models and human transplant registry data to reveal that pregnancy induced exhausted CD8 T cells (Preg-TEX), which associated with prolonged allograft survival. Maternal CD8 T cells shared features of exhaustion with CD8 T cells from cancer and chronic infection, including transcriptional down-regulation of ribosomal proteins and up-regulation of TOX and inhibitory receptors. Similar to other models of T cell exhaustion, NFAT-dependent elements of the exhaustion program were induced by fetal antigen in pregnancy, whereas NFAT-independent elements did not require fetal antigen. Despite using conserved molecular circuitry, Preg-TEX cells differed from TEX cells in chronic viral infection with respect to magnitude and dependency of T cell hypofunction on NFAT-independent signals. Altogether, these data reveal the molecular mechanisms and clinical consequences of maternal CD8 T cell hypofunction and identify pregnancy as a previously unappreciated context in which T cell exhaustion may occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L. Lewis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Rong Xu
- Department of Surgery, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jean-Christophe Beltra
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Shin Foong Ngiow
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Jordana Cohen
- Department of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Rahul Telange
- Department of Surgery, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | - Alexander Crane
- Department of Surgery, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Deirdre Sawinski
- Department of Medicine, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - E. John Wherry
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Paige M. Porrett
- Department of Surgery, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Institute for Immunology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Surgery, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
- Comprehensive Transplant Institute, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
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24
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Saito S. Reconsideration of the Role of Regulatory T Cells during Pregnancy: Differential Characteristics of Regulatory T Cells between the Maternal-Fetal Interface and Peripheral Sites and between Early and Late Pregnancy. Med Princ Pract 2022; 31:403-414. [PMID: 36195068 PMCID: PMC9801372 DOI: 10.1159/000527336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in implantation of the embryo and maintenance of pregnancy after allogeneic mating. Implantation failure, miscarriage, and preeclampsia are associated with decreased numbers of Treg cells or with dysfunctional Treg cells. Treg cells are classified into naturally occurring Treg (nTreg) cells or thymus-derived Treg (tTreg) cells that differentiate in the thymus and induce tolerance to self-antigens, while induced Treg (iTreg) or peripheral Treg (pTreg) cells differentiate in the periphery and induce transient tolerance to foreign antigens. Memory nTreg or iTreg cells were recently reported to accumulate in the uterus during early pregnancy and contribute to the establishment of pregnancy. Miscarriage is characterized by the downregulation of the total numbers of Treg cells rather than a downregulation of the numbers of paternal/fetal antigen-specific Treg cells. In addition to the volume of paternal/fetal antigen-specific CD8+ T cells, the number of paternal/fetal antigen-specific Treg cells, which protect the fetus/placenta against maternal immune cell attack, increases after the second trimester of pregnancy. Clonal Treg cells which are surrogate markers of paternal/fetal antigen-specific Treg cells in humans may be involved in the development of preeclampsia during the mid- to late pregnancy stage, as evidenced by their downregulation in the decidua of preeclamptic cases. This review summarizes recent findings on Treg cells and discusses the roles, in the maintenance of pregnancy, of different types of Treg cells such as paternal/fetal antigen-specific Treg, pregnancy-associated memory Treg, nTreg (or tTreg), and iTreg (or pTreg cells).
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25
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Hardardottir L, Bazzano MV, Glau L, Gattinoni L, Köninger A, Tolosa E, Solano ME. The New Old CD8+ T Cells in the Immune Paradox of Pregnancy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:765730. [PMID: 34868016 PMCID: PMC8635142 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.765730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T cells are the most frequent T cell population in the immune cell compartment at the feto-maternal interface. Due to their cytotoxic potential, the presence of CD8+ T cells in the immune privileged pregnant uterus has raised considerable interest. Here, we review our current understanding of CD8+ T cell biology in the uterus of pregnant women and discuss this knowledge in relation to a recently published immune cell Atlas of human decidua. We describe how the expansion of CD8+ T cells with an effector memory phenotype often presenting markers of exhaustion is critical for a successful pregnancy, and host defense towards pathogens. Moreover, we review new evidence on the presence of long-lasting immunological memory to former pregnancies and discuss its impact on prospective pregnancy outcomes. The formation of fetal-specific memory CD8+ T cell subests in the uterus, in particular of tissue resident, and stem cell memory cells requires further investigation, but promises interesting results to come. Advancing the knowledge of CD8+ T cell biology in the pregnant uterus will be pivotal for understanding not only tissue-specific immune tolerance but also the etiology of complications during pregnancy, thus enabling preventive or therapeutic interventions in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilja Hardardottir
- Laboratory for Translational Perinatology- Focus: Immunology, University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Maria Victoria Bazzano
- Laboratory for Translational Perinatology- Focus: Immunology, University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Laura Glau
- Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Luca Gattinoni
- Department of Functional Immune Cell Modulation, Regensburg Center for Interventional Immunology, Regensburg, Germany
- University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Angela Köninger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of Regensburg at the St. Hedwig Hospital of the Order of St. John, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Eva Tolosa
- Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maria Emilia Solano
- Laboratory for Translational Perinatology- Focus: Immunology, University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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26
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Li WX, Xu XH, Jin LP. Regulation of the innate immune cells during pregnancy: An immune checkpoint perspective. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:10362-10375. [PMID: 34708495 PMCID: PMC8581333 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.17022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The foetus can be regarded as a half‐allograft implanted into the maternal body. In a successful pregnancy, the mother does not reject the foetus because of the immune tolerance mechanism at the maternal‐foetal interface. The innate immune cells are a large part of the decidual leukocytes contributing significantly to a successful pregnancy. Although the contributions have been recognized, their role in human pregnancy has not been completely elucidated. Additionally, the accumulated evidence demonstrates that the immune checkpoint molecules expressed on the immune cells are co‐inhibitory receptors regulating their activation and biological function. Therefore, it is critical to understand the immune microenvironment and explore the function of the innate immune cells during pregnancy. This review summarizes the classic immune checkpoints such as PD‐1, CTLA‐4 and some novel molecules recently identified, including TIM‐3, CD200, TIGIT and the Siglecs family on the decidual and peripheral innate immune cells during pregnancy. Furthermore, it emphasizes the role of the immune checkpoint molecules in pregnancy‐associated complications and reproductive immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Xuan Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Hong Xu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Department of Biobank, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Ping Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Department of Biobank, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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27
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Abstract
In this essay, we show that 3 distinct approaches to immunological exhaustion coexist and that they only partially overlap, generating potential misunderstandings. Exploring cases ranging from viral infections to cancer, we propose that it is crucial, for experimental and therapeutic purposes, to clarify these approaches and their interconnections so as to make the concept of exhaustion genuinely operational.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Kaminski
- ImmunoConcept, CNRS & University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Maël Lemoine
- ImmunoConcept, CNRS & University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Thomas Pradeu
- ImmunoConcept, CNRS & University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
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28
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Shahi M, Mamber Czeresnia R, Cheek EH, Quinton RA, Chakraborty R, Enninga EAL. Expression of Immune Checkpoint Receptors in Placentae With Infectious and Non-Infectious Chronic Villitis. Front Immunol 2021; 12:705219. [PMID: 34394102 PMCID: PMC8361490 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is an immunological paradox whereby maternal immunity accepts a genetically unique fetus (or fetuses), while maintaining protective innate and adaptive responses to infectious pathogens. This close contact between the genetically diverse mother and fetus requires numerous mechanisms of immune tolerance initiated by trophoblast cell signals. However, in a placental condition known as villitis of unknown etiology (VUE), there appears to be a breakdown in this tolerance allowing maternal cytotoxic T-cells to traffic into the placenta to destroy fetal villi. VUE is associated with several gestational complications and an increased risk of recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy, making it a significant obstetrical diagnosis. The cause of VUE remains unclear, but dysfunctional signaling through immune checkpoint pathways, which have a critical role in blunting immune responses, may play an important role. Therefore, using placental tissue from normal pregnancy (n=8), VUE (n=8) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infected placentae (n=4), we aimed to identify differences in programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), LAG3 and CTLA4 expression between these etiologies by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Results demonstrated significantly lower expression of PD-L1 on trophoblast cells from VUE placentae compared to control and CMV infection. Additionally, we observed significantly higher counts of PD-1+ (>100 cells/image) and LAG3+ (0-120 cells/image) cells infiltrating into the villi during VUE compared to infection and control. Minimal CTLA4 staining was observed in all placentae, with only a few Hofbauer cells staining positive. Together, this suggests that a loss of tolerance through immune checkpoint signaling may be an important mechanism leading to the activation and trafficking of maternal cells into fetal villi during VUE. Further mechanistic studies are warranted to understand possible allograft rejection more clearly and in developing effective strategies to prevent this condition from occurring in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Shahi
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ricardo Mamber Czeresnia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - E. Heidi Cheek
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Reade A. Quinton
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Rana Chakraborty
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Elizabeth Ann L. Enninga
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, United States
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29
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Piccinni MP, Raghupathy R, Saito S, Szekeres-Bartho J. Cytokines, Hormones and Cellular Regulatory Mechanisms Favoring Successful Reproduction. Front Immunol 2021; 12:717808. [PMID: 34394125 PMCID: PMC8355694 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.717808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Its semi-allogeneic nature renders the conceptus vulnerable to attack by the maternal immune system. Several protective mechanisms operate during gestation to correct the harmful effects of anti-fetal immunity and to support a healthy pregnancy outcome. Pregnancy is characterized by gross alterations in endocrine functions. Progesterone is indispensable for pregnancy and humans, and it affects immune functions both directly and via mediators. The progesterone-induced mediator - PIBF - acts in favor of Th2-type immunity, by increasing Th2 type cytokines production. Except for implantation and parturition, pregnancy is characterized by a Th2-dominant cytokine pattern. Progesterone and the orally-administered progestogen dydrogesterone upregulate the production of Th2-type cytokines and suppress the production of Th1 and Th17 cytokine production in vitro. This is particularly relevant to the fact that the Th1-type cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ and the Th17 cytokine IL-17 have embryotoxic and anti-trophoblast activities. These cytokine-modulating effects and the PIBF-inducing capabilities of dydrogesterone may contribute to the demonstrated beneficial effects of dydrogesterone in recurrent spontaneous miscarriage and threatened miscarriage. IL-17 and IL-22 produced by T helper cells are involved in allograft rejection, and therefore could account for the rejection of paternal HLA-C-expressing trophoblast. Th17 cells (producing IL-17 and IL-22) and Th22 cells (producing IL-22) exhibit plasticity and could produce IL-22 and IL-17 in association with Th2-type cytokines or with Th1-type cytokines. IL-17 and IL-22 producing Th cells are not harmful for the conceptus, if they also produce IL-4. Another important protective mechanism is connected with the expansion and action of regulatory T cells, which play a major role in the induction of tolerance both in pregnant women and in tumour-bearing patients. Clonally-expanded Treg cells increase at the feto-maternal interface and in tumour-infiltrating regions. While in cancer patients, clonally-expanded Treg cells are present in peripheral blood, they are scarce in pregnancy blood, suggesting that fetal antigen-specific tolerance is restricted to the foeto-maternal interface. The significance of Treg cells in maintaining a normal materno-foetal interaction is underlined by the fact that miscarriage is characterized by a decreased number of total effector Treg cells, and the number of clonally-expanded effector Treg cells is markedly reduced in preeclampsia. In this review we present an overview of the above mechanisms, attempt to show how they are connected, how they operate during normal gestation and how their failure might lead to pregnancy pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Pierre Piccinni
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Raj Raghupathy
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait
| | - Shigeru Saito
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Julia Szekeres-Bartho
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical School, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary.,János Szentágothai Research Centre, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary.,Endocrine Studies, Centre of Excellence, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary.,MTA - PTE Human Reproduction Research Group, Pecs, Hungary.,National Laboratory for Human Reproduction, Pecs University, Pecs, Hungary
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30
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Rossi AP, Alloway RR, Hildeman D, Woodle ES. Plasma cell biology: Foundations for targeted therapeutic development in transplantation. Immunol Rev 2021; 303:168-186. [PMID: 34254320 DOI: 10.1111/imr.13011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Solid organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with end-stage organ disease. Over the past 70 years, tremendous progress has been made in solid organ transplantation, particularly in T-cell-targeted immunosuppression and organ allocation systems. However, humoral alloimmune responses remain a major challenge to progress. Patients with preexisting antibodies to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) are at significant disadvantages in regard to receiving a well-matched organ, moreover, those who develop anti-HLA antibodies after transplantation face a significant foreshortening of renal allograft survival. Historical therapies to desensitize patients prior to transplantation or to treat posttransplant AMR have had limited effectiveness, likely because they do not significantly reduce antibody levels, as plasma cells, the source of antibody production, remain largely unaffected. Herein, we will discuss the significance of plasma cells in transplantation, aspects of their biology as potential therapeutic targets, clinical challenges in developing strategies to target plasma cells in transplantation, and lastly, novel approaches that have potential to advance the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy P Rossi
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Rita R Alloway
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - David Hildeman
- Division of Immunobiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Immunology Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - E Steve Woodle
- Division of Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Nellore A, Killian JT, Porrett PM. Memory B Cells in Pregnancy Sensitization. Front Immunol 2021; 12:688987. [PMID: 34276679 PMCID: PMC8278195 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.688987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory B cells play an important role in immunity to pathogens as these cells are poised to rapidly differentiate into antibody-secreting cells upon antigen re-encounter. Memory B cells also develop over the course of HLA-sensitization during pregnancy and transplantation. In this review, we discuss the potential contribution of memory B cells to pregnancy sensitization as well as the impact of these cells on transplant candidacy and outcomes. We start by summarizing how B cell subsets are altered in pregnancy and discuss what is known about HLA-specific B cell responses given our current understanding of fetal antigen availability in maternal secondary lymphoid tissues. We then review the molecular mechanisms governing the generation and maintenance of memory B cells during infection - including the role of T follicular helper cells - and discuss the experimental evidence for the development of these cells during pregnancy. Finally, we discuss how memory B cells impact access to transplantation and transplant outcomes for a range of transplant recipients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anoma Nellore
- Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - John T. Killian
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Paige M. Porrett
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL, United States
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32
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Gregory EJ, Liu J, Miller-Handley H, Kinder JM, Way SS. Epidemiology of Pregnancy Complications Through the Lens of Immunological Memory. Front Immunol 2021; 12:693189. [PMID: 34248991 PMCID: PMC8267465 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.693189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the fifteen minutes it takes to read this short commentary, more than 400 babies will have been born too early, another 300 expecting mothers will develop preeclampsia, and 75 unborn third trimester fetuses will have died in utero (stillbirth). Given the lack of meaningful progress in understanding the physiological changes that occur to allow a healthy, full term pregnancy, it is perhaps not surprising that effective therapies against these great obstetrical syndromes that include prematurity, preeclampsia, and stillbirth remain elusive. Meanwhile, pregnancy complications remain the leading cause of infant and childhood mortality under age five. Does it have to be this way? What more can we collectively, as a biomedical community, or individually, as clinicians who care for women and newborn babies at high risk for pregnancy complications, do to protect individuals in these extremely vulnerable developmental windows? The problem of pregnancy complications and neonatal mortality is extraordinarily complex, with multiple unique, but complementary perspectives from scientific, epidemiological and public health viewpoints. Herein, we discuss the epidemiology of pregnancy complications, focusing on how the outcome of prior pregnancy impacts the risk of complication in the next pregnancy — and how the fundamental immunological principle of memory may promote this adaptive response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Gregory
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - James Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Hilary Miller-Handley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Jeremy M Kinder
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Sing Sing Way
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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33
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Bai K, Li X, Zhong J, Ng EHY, Yeung WSB, Lee CL, Chiu PCN. Placenta-Derived Exosomes as a Modulator in Maternal Immune Tolerance During Pregnancy. Front Immunol 2021; 12:671093. [PMID: 34046039 PMCID: PMC8144714 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.671093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Exosomes are a subset of extracellular vesicles with an average diameter of ~100nm. Exosomes are released by all cells through an endosome-dependent pathway and carry nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, cytokines and metabolites, mirroring the state of the originating cells. The function of exosomes has been implicated in various reproduction processes, such as embryo development, implantation, decidualization and placentation. Placenta-derived exosomes (pEXO) can be detected in the maternal blood as early as 6 weeks after conception and their levels increase with gestational age. Importantly, alternations in the molecular signatures of pEXO are observed in pregnancy-related complications. Thus, these differentially expressed molecules could be the potential biomarkers for diagnosis of the pregnancy-associated diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated that pEXO play a key role in the establishment of maternal immune tolerance, which is critical for a successful pregnancy. To gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanism, we highlighted the advanced studies of pEXO on immune cells in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunfeng Bai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xintong Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Jiangming Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Ernest H Y Ng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - William S B Yeung
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cheuk-Lun Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Philip C N Chiu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Li Ka Shing (LKS) Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.,The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Fertility Regulation, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
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34
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The role of decidual regulatory T cells in the induction and maintenance of fetal antigen-specific tolerance: Imbalance between regulatory and cytotoxic T cells in pregnancy complications. Hum Immunol 2021; 82:346-352. [PMID: 33642099 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fetal antigen-specific tolerance is important for maintaining allogeneic pregnancies. Maternal conventional T cells recognize fetal antigens; however, regulatory T (Treg) cells suppress immune reactions against the fetus. Fetal antigen-specific Treg cells are induced in the decidua upon contact with antigen-presenting cells and extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). Functional alteration of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) in the decidua also contributes to maintaining the pregnancy. Reduced, dysfunctional, and imbalanced Treg cell distribution likely contributes to the pathogenesis of pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage and preeclampsia. Recent studies have revealed differences in Treg cell characteristics during preeclampsia and miscarriage. Treg cell reduction in the decidua is likely associated with miscarriage. Insufficient expansion of fetal antigen-specific Treg cells in the decidua probably plays a role in preeclampsia pathogenesis. In addition, the balance between Treg cell-mediated tolerance and functional alteration of CTLs is important. Further investigations of functional molecules in Treg cells will contribute to the development of immunotherapy for pregnancy complications.
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Navigating the murky waters of maternal fetal tolerance: Put big data at the helm. Hum Immunol 2021; 82:340-345. [PMID: 33589281 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2021.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The last 20 years have seen significant progress in our understanding of the maternal T cell response to the fetus. However, major questions still remain. In this review, we discuss the contribution of Big Data approaches to our evolving understanding of maternal fetal tolerance. This includes investigations which have employed systems immunology, high dimensional mass spectrometry, whole genome transcriptomics, as well as single-cell RNA-sequencing. These studies reveal "new" mechanisms of T cell dysfunction that are conserved across immune responses and highlight the breadth and magnitude of the systemic maternal response to the fetus during pregnancy.
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36
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Antczak DF, Allen WRT. Placentation in Equids. ADVANCES IN ANATOMY, EMBRYOLOGY, AND CELL BIOLOGY 2021; 234:91-128. [PMID: 34694479 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-77360-1_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the early stages of placental development in horses and their relatives in the genus Equus and highlights unique features of equid reproductive biology. The equine placenta is classified as a noninvasive, epitheliochorial type. However, equids have evolved a minor component of invasive trophoblast, the chorionic girdle and endometrial cups, which links the equine placenta with the highly invasive hemochorial placentae of rodents and, particularly, with the primate placenta. Two types of fetus-to-mother signaling in equine pregnancy are mediated by the invasive equine trophoblast cells. First, endocrinological signaling mediated by equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) drives maternal progesterone production to support the equine conceptus between days 40 and 100 of gestation. Only in primates and equids does the placenta produce a gonadotrophin, but the evolutionary paths taken by these two groups of mammals to produce this placental signal were very different. Second, florid expression of paternal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules by invading chorionic girdle cells stimulates strong maternal anti-fetal antibody responses that may play a role in the development of immunological tolerance that protects the conceptus from destruction by the maternal immune system. In humans, invasive extravillous trophoblasts also express MHC class I molecules, but the loci involved, and their likely function, are different from those of the horse. Comparison of the cellular and molecular events in these disparate species provides outstanding examples of convergent evolution and co-option in mammalian pregnancy and highlights how studies of the equine placenta have produced new insights into reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas F Antczak
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - W R Twink Allen
- Sharjah Equine Hospital, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Robinson College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- The Paul Mellon Laboratory of Equine Reproduction, 'Brunswick', Newmarket, Suffolk, UK
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