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Maggs X. A synthetic review: natural history of amniote reproductive modes in light of comparative evolutionary genomics. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39300750 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13145] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
There is a current lack of consensus on whether the ancestral parity mode was oviparity (egg-laying) or viviparity (live-birth) in amniotes and particularly in squamates (snakes, lizards, and amphisbaenids). How transitions between parity modes occur at the genomic level has primary importance for how science conceptualises the origin of amniotes, and highly variable parity modes in Squamata. Synthesising literature from medicine, poultry science, reproductive biology, and evolutionary biology, I review the genomics and physiology of five broad processes (here termed the 'Main Five') expected to change during transitions between parity modes: eggshell formation, embryonic retention, placentation, calcium transport, and maternal-fetal immune dynamics. Throughout, I offer alternative perspectives and testable hypotheses regarding proximate causes of parity mode evolution in amniotes and squamates. If viviparity did evolve early in the history of lepidosaurs, I offer the nucleation site hypothesis as a proximate explanation. The framework of this hypothesis can be extended to amniotes to infer their ancestral state. I also provide a mechanism and hypothesis on how squamates may transition from viviparity to oviparity and make predictions about the directionality of transitions in three species. After considering evidence for differing perspectives on amniote origins, I offer a framework that unifies (i) the extended embryonic retention model and (ii) the traditional model which describes the amniote egg as an adaptation to the terrestrial environment. Additionally, this review contextualises the origin of amniotes and parity mode evolution within Medawar's paradigm. Medawar posited that pregnancy could be supported by immunosuppression, inertness, evasion, or immunological barriers. I demonstrate that this does not support gestation or gravidity across most amniotes but may be an adequate paradigm to explain how the first amniote tolerated internal fertilization and delayed egg deposition. In this context, the eggshell can be thought of as an immunological barrier. If serving as a barrier underpins the origin of the amniote eggshell, there should be evidence that oviparous gravidity can be met with a lack of immunological responses in utero. Rare examples of two species that differentially express very few genes during gravidity, suggestive of an absent immunological reaction to oviparous gravidity, are two skinks Lampropholis guichenoti and Lerista bougainvillii. These species may serve as good models for the original amniote egg. Overall, this review grounds itself in the historical literature while offering a modern perspective on the origin of amniotes. I encourage the scientific community to utilise this review as a resource in evolutionary and comparative genomics studies, embrace the complexity of the system, and thoughtfully consider the frameworks proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Maggs
- Richard Gilder Graduate School at The American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024, USA
- Christopher S. Bond Life Science Center at the University of Missouri, 1201 Rollins St, Columbia, MO, 65201, USA
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building A08, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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2
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Singh M, Fayaz FFA, Wang J, Wambua S, Subramanian A, Reynolds JA, Nirantharakumar K, Crowe F. Pregnancy complications and autoimmune diseases in women: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med 2024; 22:339. [PMID: 39183290 PMCID: PMC11346028 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03550-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnancy complications might lead to the development of autoimmune diseases in women. This review aims to summarise studies evaluating the association between pregnancy complications and the development of autoimmune diseases in women. METHODS Medline, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched up to January 2024. Nineteen pregnancy complications and 15 autoimmune conditions were included. Title, abstract, full-text screening, data extraction, and quality assessment were performed by two reviewers independently. Data were synthesised using narrative and quantitative methods. Results were presented using odds ratios (OR), relative risks (RR), incidence rate ratios (IRR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS Thirty studies were included. One study reported composite exposure to pregnancy complications had a risk of any autoimmune disease RR 3.20 (2.90-3.51) compared to women without pregnancy complications. Women with hyperemesis gravidarum had a higher risk of developing coeliac disease (n = 1) IRR 1.98 (1.27-2.94), Crohn's disease (n = 1) IRR 1.61 (1.25-2.04), psoriasis (n = 1) IRR 1.33 (1.01-1.71), and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 2) IRR 1.35 (1.09-1.64). Miscarriage associated with subsequent diagnosis of Sjogren syndrome (n = 2) IRR 1.33 (1.06-2.81) and rheumatoid arthritis (n = 4) OR 1.11 (1.04-1.20). Gestational hypertension/preeclampsia was linked with the development of systemic sclerosis (n = 2) IRR 2.60 (1.10-4.60) and T1DM (n = 2) IRR 2.37 (2.09-2.68). Stillbirth associated with composite autoimmune conditions (n = 2) RR 5.82 (95% CI 4.87-6.81) and aIRR 1.25 (1.12-1.40). Postpartum psychosis was associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (n = 1) aIRR2.26 (1.61-2.90). CONCLUSIONS Women with pregnancy complications subsequently had a higher risk of being diagnosed with autoimmune conditions. Whether this is due to pre-existing undiagnosed health conditions or being causally linked to pregnancy complications is not known.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Singh
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Jingya Wang
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Steven Wambua
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - John A Reynolds
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Francesca Crowe
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Llorente V, López-Olañeta M, Blázquez-López E, Vázquez-Ogando E, Martínez-García M, Vaquero J, Carmona S, Desco M, Lara-Pezzi E, Gómez-Gaviro MV. Presence of fetal microchimerisms in the heart and effect on cardiac repair. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1390533. [PMID: 39206089 PMCID: PMC11350564 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1390533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple complex biological processes take place during pregnancy, including the migration of fetal cells to maternal circulation and their subsequent engraftment in maternal tissues, where they form microchimerisms. Fetal microchimerisms have been identified in several tissues; nevertheless, their functional role remains largely unknown. Different reports suggest these cells contribute to tissue repair and modulate the immune response, but they have also been associated with pre-eclampsia and tumor formation. In the maternal heart, cells of fetal origin can contribute to different cell lineages after myocardial infarction. However, the functional role of these cells and their effect on cardiac function and repair are unknown. In this work, we found that microchimerisms of fetal origin are present in the maternal circulation and graft in the heart. To determine their functional role, WT female mice were crossed with male mice expressing the diphtheria toxin (DT) receptor. Mothers were treated with DT to eliminate microchimerisms and the response to myocardial infarction was investigated. We found that removal of microchimerisms improved cardiac contraction in postpartum and post-infarction model females compared to untreated mice, where DT administration had no significant effects. These results suggest that microchimerisms play a detrimental role in the mother following myocardial infarction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicente Llorente
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Elena Blázquez-López
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Ap. Digestivo del HGU Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Vázquez-Ogando
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Ap. Digestivo del HGU Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Magdalena Martínez-García
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Vaquero
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Ap. Digestivo del HGU Gregorio Marañón, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREHD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Carmona
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Desco
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Bioingeniería, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
| | - Enrique Lara-Pezzi
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Victoria Gómez-Gaviro
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Gregorio Marañón (IiSGM), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Bioingeniería, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Leganés, Spain
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Malinská N, Grobárová V, Knížková K, Černý J. Maternal-Fetal Microchimerism: Impacts on Offspring's Immune Development and Transgenerational Immune Memory Transfer. Physiol Res 2024; 73:315-332. [PMID: 39027950 PMCID: PMC11299782 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.935296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternal-fetal microchimerism is a fascinating phenomenon in which maternal cells migrate to the tissues of the offspring during both pregnancy and breastfeeding. These cells primarily consist of leukocytes and stem cells. Remarkably, these maternal cells possess functional potential in the offspring and play a significant role in shaping their immune system development. T lymphocytes, a cell population mainly found in various tissues of the offspring, have been identified as the major cell type derived from maternal microchimerism. These T lymphocytes not only exert effector functions but also influence the development of the offspring's T lymphocytes in the thymus and the maturation of B lymphocytes in the lymph nodes. Furthermore, the migration of maternal leukocytes also facilitates the transfer of immune memory across generations. Maternal microchimerism has also been observed to address immunodeficiencies in the offspring. This review article focuses on investigating the impact of maternal cells transported within maternal microchimerism on the immune system development of the offspring, as well as elucidating the effector functions of maternal cells that migrate through the placenta and breast milk to reach the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Malinská
- Laboratory of Cell Immunology, Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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5
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Graf I, Urbschat C, Arck PC. The 'communicatome' of pregnancy: spotlight on cellular and extravesicular chimerism. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:700-714. [PMID: 38467841 PMCID: PMC11018796 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00045-x] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Communication via biological mediators between mother and fetus are key to reproductive success and offspring's future health. The repertoire of mediators coding signals between mother and fetus is broad and includes soluble factors, membrane-bound particles and immune as well as non-immune cells. Based on the emergence of technological advancements over the last years, considerable progress has been made toward deciphering the "communicatome" between fetus and mother during pregnancy and even after birth. In this context, pregnancy-associated chimerism has sparked the attention among immunologists, since chimeric cells-although low in number-are maintained in the allogeneic host (mother or fetus) for years after birth. Other non-cellular structures of chimerism, e.g. extracellular vesicles (EVs), are increasingly recognized as modulators of pregnancy outcome and offspring's health. We here discuss the origin, distribution and function of pregnancy-acquired microchimerism and chimeric EVs in mother and offspring. We also highlight the pioneering concept of maternal microchimeric cell-derived EVs in offspring. Such insights expand the understanding of pregnancy-associated health or disease risks in mother and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Graf
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Urbschat
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petra C Arck
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
- Hamburg Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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Morales-Prieto DM, Wieditz K, Götze J, Pastuschek J, Weber M, Göhner C, Groten T, Markert UR. Transplacental migration of maternal natural killer and T cells assessed by ex vivo human placenta perfusion. Placenta 2024; 146:42-49. [PMID: 38169218 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The transplacental passage of cells between a mother and her fetus, known as microchimerism, is a less studied process during pregnancy. The frequency of maternal microchimeric cells in fetal tissues in physiological pregnancies and mechanisms responsible for transplacental cell trafficking are poorly understood. This study aimed to evaluate the placental trafficking of maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using human ex vivo placenta perfusion. METHODS Ten placentas and maternal PBMC were obtained after healthy pregnancies. Flow cytometry was used to characterize PBMC subtypes. They showed a higher percentage of CD3+ T cells compared to CD56+ NK cells. The isolated PBMC were stained with a fluorescent dye and perfused through the maternal circuit of the placenta in an ex vivo perfusion system. Subsequent immunofluorescence staining for CD3+ T cells and CD56+ NK cells was performed on placental tissue sections, and the number of detectable PBMC in different tissue areas was counted using fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS The applied method allowed discrimination of perfused autologous maternal cells from cells resident in the placenta before perfusion. Further, it allows additional immunohistochemical labelling and distinction of immune cell subsets. Perfused PBMC were detected in all analyzed placentas, mostly in contact to the syncytiotrophoblast. CD3+ T cells were identified more frequently than CD56+ NK cells and some CD3+ T cells were found inside fetoplacental tissues and vasculature. The results indicate that also other PBMCs than T or NK cells adhere to or enter villous tissue, but they have not been specified in this analysis. DISCUSSION Previous studies have detected maternal cells in the fetal circulation which we could mimick in our ex vivo placenta perfusion experiments with fluorescence labelled autologous maternal PBMC. The applied experimental settings did not allow comparison of transmigration abilities of PBMC subsets, but slight modifications of the model will permit further studies of cell transfer processes and microchimerism in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana M Morales-Prieto
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Kathrin Wieditz
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Juliane Götze
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Jana Pastuschek
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Maja Weber
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Claudia Göhner
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Tanja Groten
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany
| | - Udo R Markert
- Placenta Lab, Department of Obstetrics, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
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Sereme Y, Toumi E, Saifi E, Faury H, Skurnik D. Maternal immune factors involved in the prevention or facilitation of neonatal bacterial infections. Cell Immunol 2024; 395-396:104796. [PMID: 38104514 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2023.104796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Newborns, whether born prematurely or at term, have a fully formed but naive immune system that must adapt to the extra-uterine environment to prevent infections. Maternal immunity, transmitted through the placenta and breast milk, protects newborns against infections, primarily via immunoglobulins (IgG and IgA) and certain maternal immune cells also known as microchimeric cells. Recently, it also appeared that the maternal gut microbiota played a vital role in neonatal immune maturation via microbial compounds impacting immune development and the establishment of immune tolerance. In this context, maternal vaccination is a powerful tool to enhance even more maternal and neonatal health. It involves the transfer of vaccine-induced antibodies to protect both mother and child from infectious diseases. In this work we review the state of the art on maternal immune factors involved in the prevention of neonatal bacterial infections, with particular emphasis on the role of maternal vaccination in protecting neonates against bacterial disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssouf Sereme
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Eya Toumi
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Estelle Saifi
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Helène Faury
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades, F-75015 Paris, France; Department of Microbiology, Necker Hospital, University de Paris, Paris, France
| | - David Skurnik
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker Enfants Malades, F-75015 Paris, France; Department of Microbiology, Necker Hospital, University de Paris, Paris, France; FHU PREMA, Paris, France.
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8
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Venanzi FM, Bini M, Nuccio A, De Toma A, Lambertini M, Ogliari FR, Oresti S, Viganò MG, Brioschi E, Polignano M, Naldini MM, Riva S, Ferrara M, Fogale N, Damiano G, Russo V, Reni M, Veronesi G, Foggetti G, Conforti F, Bulotta A, Ferrara R. Sex dimorphism and cancer immunotherapy: May pregnancy solve the puzzle? Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 121:102648. [PMID: 37918169 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
In the immunoncology era, growing evidence has shown a clear sex dimorphism in antitumor immune response with a potential impact on outcomes upon immunecheckpoint blockade (ICI) in patients with cancer. Sex dimorphism could affect tumor microenvironment composition and systemic anticancer immunity; however, the modifications induced by sex are heterogeneous. From a clinical perspective, six metanalyses have explored the role of sex in cancer patients receiving ICI with conflicting results. Environmental and reproductive factors may further jeopardize the sex-related heterogeneity in anticancer immune response. In particular, pregnancy is characterized by orchestrated changes in the immune system, some of which could be long lasting. A persistence of memory T-cells with a potential fetal-antigen specificity has been reported both in human and mice, suggesting that a previous pregnancy may positively impact cancer development or response to ICI, in case of fetal-antigen sharing from tumor cells. On the other hand, a previous pregnancy may also be associated with a regulatory memory characterized by increased tolerance and anergy towards cancer-fetal common antigens. Finally, fetal-maternal microchimerism could represent an additional source of chronic exposure to fetal antigens and may have important immunological implications on cancer development and ICI activity. So far, the role of pregnancy dimorphism (nulliparous vs parous) in women and the impact of pregnancy-related variables remain largely underexplored in cancer patients. In this review, we summarize the evidence regarding sex and pregnancy dimorphism in the context of immune response and anticancer immunotherapy and advocate the importance of analyzing pregnancy variables on ICIs clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Maria Venanzi
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Marta Bini
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Nuccio
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Lambertini
- Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (DiMI), School of Medicine, University of Genova, Genoa, Italy
| | - Francesca Rita Ogliari
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Oresti
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Viganò
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Brioschi
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maggie Polignano
- Medical Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Maria Naldini
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Riva
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Ferrara
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Fogale
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Damiano
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Russo
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Reni
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Veronesi
- Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; Division of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgia Foggetti
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Conforti
- Oncology Unit, Humanitas Gavazzeni, 24125 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bulotta
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Ferrara
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
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Kanaan SB, Urselli F, Radich JP, Nelson JL. Ultrasensitive chimerism enhances measurable residual disease testing after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Blood Adv 2023; 7:6066-6079. [PMID: 37467017 PMCID: PMC10582300 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Increasing mixed chimerism (reemerging recipient cells) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) can indicate relapse, the leading factor determining mortality in blood malignancies. Most clinical chimerism tests have limited sensitivity and are primarily designed to monitor engraftment. We developed a panel of quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays using TaqMan chemistry capable of quantifying chimerism in the order of 1 in a million. At such analytic sensitivity, we hypothesized that it could inform on relapse risk. As a proof-of-concept, we applied our panel to a retrospective cohort of patients with acute leukemia who underwent allo-HCT with known outcomes. Recipient cells in bone marrow aspirates (BMAs) remained detectable in 97.8% of tested samples. Absolute recipient chimerism proportions and rates at which these proportions increased in BMAs in the first 540 days after allo-HCT were associated with relapse. Detectable measurable residual disease (MRD) via flow cytometry in BMAs after allo-HCT showed limited correlation with relapse. This correlation noticeably strengthened when combined with increased recipient chimerism in BMAs, demonstrating the ability of our ultrasensitive chimerism assay to augment MRD data. Our technology reveals an underappreciated usefulness of clinical chimerism. Used side by side with MRD assays, it promises to improve identification of patients with the highest risk of disease reoccurrence for a chance of early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami B. Kanaan
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
- Research and Development, Chimerocyte Inc, Seattle, WA
| | - Francesca Urselli
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Jerald P. Radich
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - J. Lee Nelson
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA
- Research and Development, Chimerocyte Inc, Seattle, WA
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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10
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Shao TY, Kinder JM, Harper G, Pham G, Peng Y, Liu J, Gregory EJ, Sherman BE, Wu Y, Iten AE, Hu YC, Russi AE, Erickson JJ, Miller-Handley H, Way SS. Reproductive outcomes after pregnancy-induced displacement of preexisting microchimeric cells. Science 2023; 381:1324-1330. [PMID: 37733857 PMCID: PMC10877202 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf9325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy confers partner-specific protection against complications in future pregnancy that parallel persistence of fetal microchimeric cells (FMcs) in mothers after parturition. We show that preexisting FMcs become displaced by new FMcs during pregnancy and that FMc tonic stimulation is essential for expansion of protective fetal-specific forkhead box P3 (FOXP3)-positive regulatory T cells (Treg cells). Maternal microchimeric cells and accumulation of Treg cells with noninherited maternal antigen (NIMA) specificity are similarly overturned in daughters after pregnancy, highlighting a fixed microchimeric cell niche. Whereas NIMA-specific tolerance is functionally erased by pregnancy, partner-specific resiliency against pregnancy complications persists in mothers despite paternity changes in intervening pregnancy. Persistent fetal tolerance reflects FOXP3 expression plasticity, which allows mothers to more durably remember their babies, whereas daughters forget their mothers with new pregnancy-imprinted immunological memories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tzu-Yu Shao
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Jeremy M. Kinder
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Gavin Harper
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Giang Pham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yanyan Peng
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - James Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Emily J. Gregory
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Bryan E. Sherman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yuehong Wu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Alexandra E. Iten
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Yueh-Chiang Hu
- Division of Developmental Biology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Abigail E. Russi
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Advanced Nutrition, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - John J. Erickson
- Division of Neonatology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Hilary Miller-Handley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Sing Sing Way
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Center for Inflammation and Tolerance, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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11
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Úbeda F, Wild G. Microchimerism as a source of information on future pregnancies. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231142. [PMID: 37608718 PMCID: PMC10445024 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1142] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Small numbers of fetal cells cross the placenta during pregnancy turning mothers into microchimeras. Fetal cells from all previous pregnancies accumulate forming the mother's fetal microchiome. What is significant about microchimeric cells is that they have been linked to health problems including reproductive and autoimmune diseases. Three decades after the discovery of fetal microchimerism, the function of these cells remains a mystery. Here, we contend that the role of microchimeric cells is to inform the fetus about the likelihood that its genes are present in future pregnancies. We argue that, when genes are more likely than average to be in future maternal siblings, fetuses will send a fixed number of cells that will not elicit a maternal immune response against them. However, when genes are less likely to be in future maternal siblings, fetuses will send an ever-increasing number of cells that will elicit an ever-stronger maternal immune response. Our work can explain the observed clinical association between microchimeric cells and pre-eclampsia. However, our work predicts that this association should be stronger in women with a genetically diverse microchiome. If supported by medical tests, our work would allow establishing the likelihood of pregnancy or autoimmune problems advising medical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Úbeda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Geoff Wild
- Department of Mathematics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7
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12
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Rosner M, Horer S, Feichtinger M, Hengstschläger M. Multipotent fetal stem cells in reproductive biology research. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:157. [PMID: 37287077 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03379-4] [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: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the limited accessibility of the in vivo situation, the scarcity of the human tissue, legal constraints, and ethical considerations, the underlying molecular mechanisms of disorders, such as preeclampsia, the pathological consequences of fetomaternal microchimerism, or infertility, are still not fully understood. And although substantial progress has already been made, the therapeutic strategies for reproductive system diseases are still facing limitations. In the recent years, it became more and more evident that stem cells are powerful tools for basic research in human reproduction and stem cell-based approaches moved into the center of endeavors to establish new clinical concepts. Multipotent fetal stem cells derived from the amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, chorion leave, Wharton´s jelly, or placenta came to the fore because they are easy to acquire, are not associated with ethical concerns or covered by strict legal restrictions, and can be banked for autologous utilization later in life. Compared to adult stem cells, they exhibit a significantly higher differentiation potential and are much easier to propagate in vitro. Compared to pluripotent stem cells, they harbor less mutations, are not tumorigenic, and exhibit low immunogenicity. Studies on multipotent fetal stem cells can be invaluable to gain knowledge on the development of dysfunctional fetal cell types, to characterize the fetal stem cells migrating into the body of a pregnant woman in the context of fetomaternal microchimerism, and to obtain a more comprehensive picture of germ cell development in the course of in vitro differentiation experiments. The in vivo transplantation of fetal stem cells or their paracrine factors can mediate therapeutic effects in preeclampsia and can restore reproductive organ functions. Together with the use of fetal stem cell-derived gametes, such strategies could once help individuals, who do not develop functional gametes, to conceive genetically related children. Although there is still a long way to go, these developments regarding the usage of multipotent fetal stem cells in the clinic should continuously be accompanied by a wide and detailed ethical discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margit Rosner
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefanie Horer
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Markus Hengstschläger
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Strasse 10, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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13
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Shree R, McCartney S, Cousin E, Chae A, Gammill HS, Nelson JL, Kanaan SB. Umbilical Cord Maternal Microchimerism in Normal and Preeclampsia Pregnancies. Reprod Sci 2023; 30:1157-1164. [PMID: 36168088 PMCID: PMC10900989 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-022-01080-0] [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: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bidirectional exchange of cells between mother and fetus establishes microchimerism (Mc). Mc can persist for decades and is associated with later-life health and disease. Greater fetal Mc is detected in the maternal compartment in preeclampsia (PE), but whether maternal Mc (MMC) in umbilical cord blood (CB) is altered in PE is unknown. We evaluated MMc in CB from normal and PE pregnancies. DNA from CB mononuclear cells following placental delivery (n = 36 PE, n = 37 controls) and maternal blood was extracted and genotyped. MMc, quantified by qPCR assays targeting maternal-specific nonshared polymorphisms in CB, was compared using logistic and negative binomial regression models. Clinically and statistically relevant confounders were included, and included the total number of cell equivalents tested, gravidity, mode of delivery, birthweight, and fetal sex. PE participants delivered at earlier gestational ages, with higher Cesarean rates, and lower infant birthweights. CB MMc detection was similar between PE and controls (52.8% vs. 51.3%, respectively, p = 0.90) and unchanged after adjustment for confounders. MMc concentration was not different between groups (mean 73.7 gEq/105 gEq in PE vs. mean 22.8 gEq/105 in controls, p = 0.56), including after controlling for confounders (p = 0.64). There was no difference in CB MMc detection or concentration between PE and normal pregnancies, despite previously noted greater fetal Mc in the maternal compartment. This suggests possible differential transfer of cells at the maternal fetal interface in PE. Phenotypic evaluation of Mc cells may uncover underlying mechanisms for differential cellular exchange between mother and fetus in PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raj Shree
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356460, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
| | - Stephen McCartney
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356460, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Emma Cousin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356460, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Angel Chae
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356460, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Hilary S Gammill
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356460, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - J L Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Sami B Kanaan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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14
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Ward EJ, Bert S, Fanti S, Malone KM, Maughan RT, Gkantsinikoudi C, Prin F, Volpato LK, Piovezan AP, Graham GJ, Dufton NP, Perretti M, Marelli-Berg FM, Nadkarni S. Placental Inflammation Leads to Abnormal Embryonic Heart Development. Circulation 2023; 147:956-972. [PMID: 36484244 PMCID: PMC10022676 DOI: 10.1161/circulationaha.122.061934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Placental heart development and embryonic heart development occur in parallel, and these organs have been proposed to exert reciprocal regulation during gestation. Poor placentation has been associated with congenital heart disease, an important cause of infant mortality. However, the mechanisms by which altered placental development can lead to congenital heart disease remain unresolved. METHODS In this study, we use an in vivo neutrophil-driven placental inflammation model through antibody depletion of maternal circulating neutrophils at key stages during time-mated murine pregnancy: embryonic days 4.5 and 7.5. Pregnant mice were culled at embryonic day 14.5 to assess placental and embryonic heart development. A combination of flow cytometry, histology, and bulk RNA sequencing was used to assess placental immune cell composition and tissue architecture. We also used flow cytometry and single-cell sequencing to assess embryonic cardiac immune cells at embryonic day 14.5 and histology and gene analyses to investigate embryonic heart structure and development. In some cases, offspring were culled at postnatal days 5 and 28 to assess any postnatal cardiac changes in immune cells, structure, and cardiac function, as measured by echocardiography. RESULTS In the present study, we show that neutrophil-driven placental inflammation leads to inadequate placental development and loss of barrier function. Consequently, placental inflammatory monocytes of maternal origin become capable of migration to the embryonic heart and alter the normal composition of resident cardiac macrophages and cardiac tissue structure. This cardiac impairment continues into postnatal life, hindering normal tissue architecture and function. Last, we show that tempering placental inflammation can prevent this fetal cardiac defect and is sufficient to promote normal cardiac function in postnatal life. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these observations provide a mechanistic paradigm whereby neutrophil-driven inflammation in pregnancy can preclude normal embryonic heart development as a direct consequence of poor placental development, which has major implications on cardiac function into adult life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor J. Ward
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Serena Bert
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Silvia Fanti
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Kerri M. Malone
- European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK (K.M.M.)
| | - Robert T. Maughan
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK (R.T.M.)
| | - Christina Gkantsinikoudi
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Fabrice Prin
- Crick Advanced Light Microscopy Facility, the Francis Crick Institute, London, UK (F.P.)
| | - Lia Karina Volpato
- Postgraduate Program in Health Science, University of Southern Catarina, Campus Pedra Branca, Palhoça, SC, Brazil (L.K.V., A.P.P.)
| | - Anna Paula Piovezan
- Postgraduate Program in Health Science, University of Southern Catarina, Campus Pedra Branca, Palhoça, SC, Brazil (L.K.V., A.P.P.)
| | - Gerard J. Graham
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, UK (G.J.G.)
| | - Neil P. Dufton
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Mauro Perretti
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Federica M. Marelli-Berg
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
| | - Suchita Nadkarni
- William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, Charterhouse Square, UK (E.J.W., S.B., S.F., C.G., N.P.D., M.P., F.M.M.-B., S.N.)
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15
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Bianchi A, Aprile M, Schirò G, Gasparro C, Iacono S, Andolina M, Marrale M, Gattuso I, La Tona G, Midiri M, Gagliardo C, Salemi G, Ragonese P. Microchimerism in multiple sclerosis: The association between sex of offspring and MRI features in women with multiple sclerosis. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1091955. [PMID: 36824218 PMCID: PMC9941336 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1091955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims During pregnancy, fetal cells can migrate to the mother via blood circulation. A percentage of these cells survive in maternal tissues for decades generating a population of fetal microchimeric cells (fMCs), whose biological role is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the sex of offspring, an indirect marker of fMCs, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods We recruited 26 nulliparous MS patients (NPp), 20 patients with at least one male son (XYp), and 8 patients with only daughters (XXp). Each patient underwent brain MR scan to acquire 3D-T2w FLAIR FatSat and 3D-T1w FSPGR/TFE. Lesion Segmentation Tool (LST) and FreeSurfer were used to obtain quantitative data from MRI. Additional data were collected using medical records. Multiple regression models were applied to evaluate the association between sex of offspring and MS data. Results Comparing NPp and XXp, we found that NPp had larger 4th ventricle volume (2.02 ± 0.59 vs. 1.70 ± 0.41; p = 0.022), smaller left entorhinal volume (0.55 ± 0.17 vs. 0.68 ± 0.25; p = 0.028), and lower thickness in the following cortical areas: left paracentral (2.34 ± 0.16 vs. 2.39 ± 0.17; p = 0.043), left precuneus (2.27 ± 0.11 vs. 2.34 ± 0.16; p = 0.046), right lateral occipital (2.14 ± 0.11 vs. 2.25 ± 0.08; p = 0.006). NPp also had lower thickness in left paracentral cortex (2.34 ± 0.16 vs. 2.46 ± 0.17; p = 0.004), left precalcarine cortex (1.64 ± 0.14 vs. 1.72 ± 0.12; p = 0.041), and right paracentral cortex (2.34 ± 0.17 vs. 2.42 ± 0.14; p = 0.015) when compared to XYp. Comparing XYp and XXp, we found that XYp had higher thickness in left cuneus (1.80 ± 0.14 vs. 1.93 ± 0.10; p = 0.042) and left pericalcarine areas (1.59 ± 0.19 vs. 1.72 ± 0.12; p = 0.032) and lower thickness in right lateral occipital cortex (2.25 ± 0.08 vs. 2.18 ± 0.13; p = 0.027). Discussion Our findings suggested an association between the sex of offspring and brain atrophy. Considering the sex of offspring as an indirect marker of fMCs, we speculated that fMCs could accumulate in different brain areas modulating MS neuropathological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Bianchi
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy,Department of Neuroinflammation, University College London, London, United Kingdom,*Correspondence: Alessia Bianchi,
| | - Maria Aprile
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Schirò
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Claudia Gasparro
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Salvatore Iacono
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michele Andolina
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maurizio Marrale
- Department of Physics and Chemistry, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Irene Gattuso
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy,Neurology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe La Tona
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Massimo Midiri
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Cesare Gagliardo
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Salemi
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Paolo Ragonese
- Department of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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16
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Borges A, Castellan F, Irie N. Emergent roles of maternal microchimerism in postnatal development. Dev Growth Differ 2023; 65:75-81. [PMID: 36519824 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Maternal microchimerism (MMc) is the phenomenon that a low number of cells from the mother persists within her progeny. Despite their regular presence in mammalian pregnancies, the overall cell type repertoire and roles of maternal cells, especially after birth, remain unclear. By using transgenic mouse strains and human umbilical blood samples, recent studies have for the first time characterized and quantified MMc cell type repertoires in offspring, identified the cross-generational influence on fetal immunity, and determined possible factors that affect their presence in offspring. This review summarizes new findings, especially on the maternal cell type repertoires and their potential role in utero, in postnatal life, and long after birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria Borges
- Graduate School of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Flore Castellan
- Graduate School of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Irie
- Graduate School of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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Gal-Oz ST, Shay T. Genetics of Sex Differences in Immunity. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2023; 441:1-19. [PMID: 37695423 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-35139-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Women have a stronger immune response and a higher frequency of most autoimmune diseases than men. While much of the difference between men and women is due to the effect of gonadal hormones, genetic differences play a major role in the difference between the immune response and disease frequencies in women and men. Here, we focus on the immune differences between the sexes that are not downstream of the gonadal hormones. These differences include the gene content of the sex chromosomes, the inactivation of chromosome X in women, the consequences of non-random X inactivation and escape from inactivation, and the states that are uniquely met by the immune system of women-pregnancy, birth, and breast feeding. While these female-specific states are temporary and involve gonadal hormonal changes, they may leave a long-lasting footprint on the health of women, for example, by fetal cells that remain in the mother's body for decades. We also briefly discuss the immune phenotype of congenital sex chromosomal aberrations and experimental models that enable hormonal and the non-hormonal effects of the sex chromosomes to be disentangled. The increasing human life expectancy lengthens the period during which gonadal hormones levels are reduced in both sexes. A better understanding of the non-hormonal effects of sex chromosomes thus becomes more important for improving the life quality during that period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shani T Gal-Oz
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel
- Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation, and Immunity, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tal Shay
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be'er Sheva, Israel.
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18
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Adaptive discrimination between harmful and harmless antigens in the immune system by predictive coding. iScience 2022; 26:105754. [PMID: 36594030 PMCID: PMC9804113 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The immune system discriminates between harmful and harmless antigens based on past experiences; however, the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. From the viewpoint of machine learning, the learning system predicts the observation and updates the prediction based on prediction error, a process known as "predictive coding." Here, we modeled the population dynamics of T cells by adopting the concept of predictive coding; conventional and regulatory T cells predict the antigen concentration and excessive immune response, respectively. Their prediction error signals, possibly via cytokines, induce their differentiation to memory T cells. Through numerical simulations, we found that the immune system identifies antigen risks depending on the concentration and input rapidness of the antigen. Further, our model reproduced history-dependent discrimination, as in allergy onset and subsequent therapy. Taken together, this study provided a novel framework to improve our understanding of how the immune system adaptively learns the risks of diverse antigens.
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19
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Hee JY, Huang S, Leong KP, Chun L, Zhang YO, Gongye R, Tang K. Pregnancy loss and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese women: findings from the China Kadoorie biobank. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1768. [PMID: 36115952 PMCID: PMC9482729 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-14163-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractConsidering the female preponderance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and disease onset typically after the reproductive years, pregnancy and childbirth may play a role in the aetiology of the disease. Adverse outcomes of pregnancy have been found to precede the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, including RA, but the evidence is scant and inconsistent. Therefore, we investigate whether pregnancy loss is associated with the risk of RA in Chinese women. Data from the China Kadoorie Biobank, conducted by the University of Oxford and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, of 299,629 Chinese women who had been pregnant were used. Multivariable logistic regression and stratified analyses were employed to analyse the association between types of pregnancy loss with the risk of RA. Pregnancy loss was significantly associated with increased risk of RA (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06–1.18), specifically, spontaneous (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03–1.20) and induced abortions (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06–1.17). There was no significant association between stillbirth and the risk of RA (OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.97–1.18). The risk of developing RA increases with the number of pregnancy losses: one loss confers an OR of 1.09 (95% CI 1.03–1.16), two an OR of 1.13 (95% CI 1.05–1.20), three or more an OR of 1.19 (95% CI 1.10–1.28) and OR of 1.06 (95% CI 1.03–1.08) for each additional. Spontaneous and induced abortions are associated with an increased risk of RA in Chinese women.
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Schepanski S, Chini M, Sternemann V, Urbschat C, Thiele K, Sun T, Zhao Y, Poburski M, Woestemeier A, Thieme MT, Zazara DE, Alawi M, Fischer N, Heeren J, Vladimirov N, Woehler A, Puelles VG, Bonn S, Gagliani N, Hanganu-Opatz IL, Arck PC. Pregnancy-induced maternal microchimerism shapes neurodevelopment and behavior in mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4571. [PMID: 35931682 PMCID: PMC9356013 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32230-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Life-long brain function and mental health are critically determined by developmental processes occurring before birth. During mammalian pregnancy, maternal cells are transferred to the fetus. They are referred to as maternal microchimeric cells (MMc). Among other organs, MMc seed into the fetal brain, where their function is unknown. Here, we show that, in the offspring's developing brain in mice, MMc express a unique signature of sensome markers, control microglia homeostasis and prevent excessive presynaptic elimination. Further, MMc facilitate the oscillatory entrainment of developing prefrontal-hippocampal circuits and support the maturation of behavioral abilities. Our findings highlight that MMc are not a mere placental leak out, but rather a functional mechanism that shapes optimal conditions for healthy brain function later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Schepanski
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mattia Chini
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Veronika Sternemann
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christopher Urbschat
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kristin Thiele
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ting Sun
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Yu Zhao
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mareike Poburski
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna Woestemeier
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marie-Theres Thieme
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dimitra E Zazara
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Malik Alawi
- Bioinformatics Service Facility, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Fischer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joerg Heeren
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nikita Vladimirov
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrew Woehler
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Victor G Puelles
- III Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Bonn
- Institute of Medical Systems Biology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Nicola Gagliani
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ileana L Hanganu-Opatz
- Institute of Developmental Neurophysiology, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Petra C Arck
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
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21
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Balle C, Armistead B, Kiravu A, Song X, Happel AU, Hoffmann AA, Kanaan SB, Nelson JL, Gray CM, Jaspan HB, Harrington WE. Factors influencing maternal microchimerism throughout infancy and its impact on infant T cell immunity. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:148826. [PMID: 35550376 PMCID: PMC9246390 DOI: 10.1172/jci148826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Determinants of the acquisition and maintenance of maternal microchimerism (MMc) during infancy and the impact of MMc on infant immune responses are unknown. We examined factors which influence MMc detection and level across infancy and the effect of MMc on T cell responses to BCG vaccination in a cohort of HIV exposed, uninfected and HIV unexposed infants in South Africa. MMc was measured in whole blood from 58 infants using a panel of quantitative PCR assays at day one and 7, 15, and 36 weeks of life. Infants received BCG at birth, and selected whole blood samples from infancy were stimulated in vitro with BCG and assessed for polyfunctional CD4+ T cell responses. MMc was present in most infants across infancy with levels ranging from 0-1,193/100,000 genomic equivalents and was positively impacted by absence of maternal HIV, maternal-infant HLA compatibility, infant female sex, and exclusive breastfeeding. Initiation of maternal antiretroviral therapy prior to pregnancy partially restored MMc levels in HIV exposed, uninfected infants. Birth MMc was associated with an improved polyfunctional CD4+ T cell response to BCG. These data emphasize that both maternal and infant factors influence MMc, which may subsequently impact infant T cell responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Balle
- Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Blair Armistead
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Agano Kiravu
- Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Xiaochang Song
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Anna-Ursula Happel
- Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Angela A Hoffmann
- Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sami B Kanaan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States of America
| | - J Lee Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Clive M Gray
- Department of Pathology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Heather B Jaspan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington and Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, United States of America
| | - Whitney E Harrington
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington and Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, United States of America
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22
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Tamaoka S, Fukuda A, Katoh-Fukui Y, Hattori A, Uchida H, Shimizu S, Yanagi Y, Kanaan SB, Sakamoto S, Kasahara M, Yoshioka T, Fukami M. Quantification of Maternal Microchimeric Cells in the Liver of Children With Biliary Atresia. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2022; 74:e83-e86. [PMID: 35082246 DOI: 10.1097/mpg.0000000000003388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare disorder of unknown etiology. There is a debate as to whether maternal microchimerism plays a significant role in the development of BA or in graft tolerance after liver transplantation. Here, we performed quantitative-PCR-based assays for liver tissues of children with BA and other diseases. Maternal cells were detected in 4/13 and 1/3 of the BA and control groups, respectively. The estimated number of maternal cells ranged between 0 and 34.7 per 106 total cells. The frequency and severity of maternal microchimerism were similar between the BA and control groups, and between patients with and without acute rejection of maternal grafts. These results highlight the high frequency of maternal microchimerism in the liver. This study provides no evidence for roles of microchimerism in the etiology of BA or in graft tolerance. Thus, the biological consequences of maternal microchimerism need to be clarified in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Tamaoka
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development
| | - Akinari Fukuda
- Center for Organ Transplantation, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Katoh-Fukui
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development
| | - Atsushi Hattori
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development
| | - Hajime Uchida
- Center for Organ Transplantation, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiichi Shimizu
- Center for Organ Transplantation, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yusuke Yanagi
- Center for Organ Transplantation, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sami B Kanaan
- Research and Development, Chimerocyte, Inc
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA
| | - Seisuke Sakamoto
- Center for Organ Transplantation, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mureo Kasahara
- Center for Organ Transplantation, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takako Yoshioka
- Department of Pathology, National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Maki Fukami
- Department of Molecular Endocrinology, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development
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23
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Engels G, Döhler B, Tönshoff B, Oh J, Kruchen A, Müller I, Süsal C. Maternal versus paternal living kidney transplant donation is associated with lower rejection in young pediatric recipients: A Collaborative Transplant Study report. Pediatr Transplant 2022; 26:e14154. [PMID: 34612565 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Approximately 1700 children per year with end-stage kidney disease undergo kidney transplantation in Europe and the United States of America; 30%-50% are living donor kidney transplantations. There may be immunological differences between paternal and maternal donors due to transplacental exchange of cells between the mother and fetus during pregnancy leading to microchimerism. We investigated whether the outcome of living-related kidney transplantation in young children is different after maternal compared with paternal organ donation. METHODS Using the international Collaborative Transplant Study (CTS) database, we analyzed epidemiological data of 7247 children and adolescents aged <18 years who had received a kidney transplant from either mother or father. Risk of treated rejection episodes and death-censored graft failure were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression. RESULTS In the recipient age group 1-4 years, the rate of treated rejection episodes in recipients of kidneys from maternal donors (N = 195) during the first 2 years post-transplant was significantly lower (hazard ratio HR = 0.47, p = .004) than in patients receiving kidneys from paternal donors (N = 179). This association between donor sex and risk of treated rejections was not observed in children aged 5-9 years. The 5-year death-censored graft survival in children aged 1-4 years with a maternal or paternal donor was comparable. CONCLUSIONS Maternal kidney donation in young pediatric renal transplant recipients is associated with an approximately 50% lower rate of treated rejection than paternal kidney donation. Whether this phenomenon is due to maternal microchimerism-induced donor-specific hyporesponsiveness must be evaluated in prospective mechanistic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geraldine Engels
- Department of Pediatrics, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Döhler
- Institute of Immunology, Transplantation Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Burkhard Tönshoff
- Department of Pediatrics I, University Children's Hospital, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jun Oh
- Department of Pediatrics, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anne Kruchen
- Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ingo Müller
- Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg- Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Caner Süsal
- Institute of Immunology, Transplantation Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
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24
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Simon N, Shallat J, Houck J, Jagannathan P, Prahl M, Muhindo MK, Kakuru A, Olwoch P, Feeney ME, Harrington WE. Peripheral Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Early Pregnancy Is Associated With Increased Maternal Microchimerism in the Offspring. J Infect Dis 2021; 224:2105-2112. [PMID: 34010401 PMCID: PMC8672744 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Placental malaria has been associated with increased cord blood maternal microchimerism (MMc), which in turn may affect susceptibility to malaria in the offspring. We sought to determine the impact of maternal peripheral Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia during pregnancy on MMc and to determine whether maternal cells expand during primary parasitemia in the offspring. METHODS We conducted a nested cohort study of maternal-infant pairs from a prior pregnancy malaria chemoprevention study. Maternal microchimerism was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction targeting a maternal-specific marker in genomic DNA from cord blood, first P falciparum parasitemia, and preparasitemia. Logistic and negative binomial regression were used to assess the impact of maternal peripheral parasitemia, symptomatic malaria, and placental malaria on cord blood MMc. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess predictors of MMc during infancy. RESULTS Early maternal parasitemia was associated with increased detection of cord blood MMc (adjusted odds ratio = 3.91, P = .03), whereas late parasitemia, symptomatic malaria, and placental malaria were not. The first parasitemia episode in the infant was not associated with increased MMc relative to preparasitemia. CONCLUSIONS Maternal parasitemia early in pregnancy may increase the amount of MMc acquired by the fetus. Future work should investigate the impact of this MMc on immune responses in the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neta Simon
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jaclyn Shallat
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - John Houck
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Mary Prahl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mary K Muhindo
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Abel Kakuru
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Peter Olwoch
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Margaret E Feeney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Whitney E Harrington
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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25
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Grandmaternal microchimerism: interesting curiosity or clinically relevant phenomenon? EBioMedicine 2021; 74:103743. [PMID: 34896793 PMCID: PMC8668823 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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26
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Vertically transferred maternal immune cells promote neonatal immunity against early life infections. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4706. [PMID: 34349112 PMCID: PMC8338998 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24719-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During mammalian pregnancy, immune cells are vertically transferred from mother to fetus. The functional role of these maternal microchimeric cells (MMc) in the offspring is mostly unknown. Here we show a mouse model in which MMc numbers are either normal or low, which enables functional assessment of MMc. We report a functional role of MMc in promoting fetal immune development. MMc induces preferential differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells in fetal bone marrow towards monocytes within the myeloid compartment. Neonatal mice with higher numbers of MMc and monocytes show enhanced resilience against cytomegalovirus infection. Similarly, higher numbers of MMc in human cord blood are linked to a lower number of respiratory infections during the first year of life. Our data highlight the importance of MMc in promoting fetal immune development, potentially averting the threats caused by early life exposure to pathogens. Maternal immune cells seed into the foetus during mammalian pregnancy, yet the functional role of these cells is unclear. Here the authors show that maternal immune cells in foetal bone marrow stimulate immune development, subsequently reducing the risk or severity of infections in newborns.
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27
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Johnson BN, Peters HE, Lambalk CB, Dolan CV, Willemsen G, Ligthart L, Mijatovic V, Hottenga JJ, Ehli EA, Boomsma DI. Male microchimerism in females: a quantitative study of twin pedigrees to investigate mechanisms. Hum Reprod 2021; 36:2529-2537. [PMID: 34293108 PMCID: PMC8373473 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does having a male co-twin, older brothers, or sons lead to an increased probability of persistent male microchimerism in female members of twin pedigrees? SUMMARY ANSWER The presence of a male co-twin did not increase risk of male microchimerism and the prevalence of male microchimerism was not explained by having male offspring or by having an older brother. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Microchimerism describes the presence of cells within an organism that originate from another zygote and is commonly described as resulting from pregnancy in placental mammals. It is associated with diseases with a female predilection including autoimmune diseases and pregnancy-related complications. However, microchimerism also occurs in nulliparous women; signifying gaps in the understanding of risk factors contributing to persistent microchimerism and the origin of the minor cell population. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This cross-sectional study composed of 446 adult female participants of the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Participants included in the study were female monozygotic (MZ) twins, female dizygotic same-sex twins and females of dizygotic opposite-sex twin pairs, along with the mothers and sisters of these twins. Peripheral blood samples collected from adult female participants underwent DNA extraction and were biobanked prior to the study. To detect the presence of male-origin microchimerism, DNA samples were tested for the relative quantity of male specific Y chromosome gene DYS14 compared to a common β-globin gene using a highly sensitive quantitative PCR assay. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We observed a large number of women (26.9%) having detectable male microchimerism in their peripheral blood samples. The presence of a male co-twin did not increase risk of male microchimerism (odds ratio (OR) = 1.23: SE 0.40, P = 0.61) and the prevalence of male microchimerism was not explained by having male offspring (OR 0.90: SE 0.19, P = 0.63) or by having an older brother (OR = 1.46: SE 0.32, P = 0.09). The resemblance (correlation) for the presence of microchimerism was similar (P = 0.66) in MZ pairs (0.27; SE 0.37) and in first-degree relatives (0.091; SE 0.092). However, age had a positive relationship with the presence of male microchimerism (P = 0.02). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION After stratifying for variables of interest, some participant groups resulted in a low numbers of subjects. We investigated microchimerism in peripheral blood due to the proposed mechanism of cell acquisition via transplacental blood exchange; however, this does not represent global chimerism in the individual and microchimerism may localize to numerous other tissues. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Immune regulation during pregnancy is known to mitigate allosensitization and support tolerance to non-inherited antigens found on donor cells. While unable to identify a specific source that promotes microchimerism prevalence within pedigrees, this study points to the underlying complexities of natural microchimerism in the general population. These findings support previous studies which have identified the presence of male microchimerism among women with no history of pregnancy, suggesting alternative sources of microchimerism. The association of detectable male microchimerism with age is suggestive of additional factors including time, molecular characteristics and environment playing a critical role in the prevalence of persistent microchimerism. The present study necessitates investigation into the molecular underpinnings of natural chimerism to provide insight into women’s health, transplant medicine and immunology. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This work is funded by Royal Netherlands Academy of Science Professor Award (PAH/6635 to D.I.B.); The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw)—Genotype/phenotype database for behavior genetic and genetic epidemiological studies (ZonMw 911-09-032); Biobanking and Biomolecular Research Infrastructure (BBMRI–NL, 184.021.007; 184.033.111); The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO)—Netherlands Twin Registry Repository (NWO-Groot 480-15-001/674); the National Institutes of Health—The Rutgers University Cell and DNA Repository cooperative agreement (NIMH U24 MH068457-06), Grand Opportunity grants Integration of genomics and transcriptomics in normal twins and major depression (NIMH 1RC2 MH089951-01), and Developmental trajectories of psychopathology (NIMH 1RC2 MH089995); and European Research Council—Genetics of Mental Illness (ERC 230374). C.B.L. declares a competing interest as editor-in-chief of Human Reproduction and his department receives unrestricted research grants from Ferring, Merck and Guerbet. All remaining authors have no conflict-of-interest to declare in regards to this work. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Affiliation(s)
- B N Johnson
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA.,Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - H E Peters
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C B Lambalk
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C V Dolan
- Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - G Willemsen
- Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - L Ligthart
- Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - V Mijatovic
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - J J Hottenga
- Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - E A Ehli
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - D I Boomsma
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development (AR&D) Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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28
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Rosner M, Kolbe T, Hengstschläger M. Fetomaternal microchimerism and genetic diagnosis: On the origins of fetal cells and cell-free fetal DNA in the pregnant woman. MUTATION RESEARCH. REVIEWS IN MUTATION RESEARCH 2021; 788:108399. [PMID: 34893150 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrrev.2021.108399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
During pregnancy several types of fetal cells and fetal stem cells, including pregnancy-associated progenitor cells (PAPCs), traffic into the maternal circulation. Whereas they also migrate to various maternal organs and adopt the phenotype of the target tissues to contribute to regenerative processes, fetal cells also play a role in the pathogenesis of maternal diseases. In addition, cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) is detectable in the plasma of pregnant women. Together they constitute the well-known phenomenon of fetomaternal microchimerism, which inspired the concept of non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) using maternal blood. An in-depth knowledge concerning the origins of these fetal cells and cffDNA allows a more comprehensive understanding of the biological relevance of fetomaternal microchimerism and has implications for the ongoing expansion of resultant clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margit Rosner
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Kolbe
- Biomodels Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department IFA Tulln, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Tulln, Austria
| | - Markus Hengstschläger
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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29
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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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Brown JA, Niland ES, Pierce NL, Taylor JB. Validation of fetal microchimerism after pregnancy in the ovine using qPCR. Transl Anim Sci 2021; 5:txab100. [PMID: 34386714 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab100] [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: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal microchimerism has been detected in maternal tissues of humans and rodents during and after pregnancy. Studies focusing on fetal DNA transfer to maternal tissues in domestic animals are limited, especially in sheep. Fetal ram DNA was observed in the maternal circulation during pregnancy, but it is not known if this chimerism persists in soft tissues after parturition. The objectives of this exploratory study were to: 1) determine if male fetal DNA is detectable in soft tissues of mature ewes after parturition and if so, determine if detection repeatability differed with lifetime offspring sex ratio and 2) determine if male fetal DNA was present in soft tissues of yearling (primiparous) ewes shortly after parturition. Eight mature (open, non-lactating) and 8 yearling (primiparous, periparturient) Rambouillet ewes were used. Mature ewes (5- to 7-yr old) had given birth to primarily 82% males (n = 4) or 71% female (n = 4) over a lifetime. Yearling ewes had birthed either a singleton male (n = 4) or female (n = 4) lambs. DNA was extracted from 10 and 11 different soft tissues from the mature and yearling ewes, respectively. Real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to identify the presence of the SRY gene in each tissue sample. Male DNA was detected in the brain and liver from one mature open ewe that had given birth to two males and six females during her lifetime. In younger ewes that gave birth to a ram lamb, male DNA was observed in the thyroid of one ewe and the pancreas and brain of a second ewe. Male DNA was detected in the ovary of one ewe that had given birth to a female lamb. Based on these data, we suggest fetal microchimerism in soft maternal tissues is possible in sheep and may remain after pregnancy has ended. The detection repeatability of male fetal DNA was not associated with sex ratio of lifetime offspring. Male DNA was observed in maternal soft tissues collected shortly after parturition. The greater detection of fetal male DNA found in younger ewes shortly after parturition may be due to not having enough time for fetal DNA clearance to occur. Future studies are warranted to further study XY chimerism in maternal tissues of the ewe and its potential role in ovine physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Alison Brown
- Department of Biology, Wingate University, Wingate, NC 28174, USA
| | - Erika S Niland
- Department of Biology, Wingate University, Wingate, NC 28174, USA
| | - Natalie L Pierce
- USDA, Agriculture Research Service, Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, ID 83423, USA
| | - J Bret Taylor
- USDA, Agriculture Research Service, Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research Unit, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station, Dubois, ID 83423, USA
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Kronzer VL, Bridges SL, Davis JM. Why women have more autoimmune diseases than men: An evolutionary perspective. Evol Appl 2021; 14:629-633. [PMID: 33767739 PMCID: PMC7980266 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Women have up to a fourfold increase in risk for autoimmune disease compared to men. Many explanations have been proposed, including sex hormones, the X chromosome, microchimerism, environmental factors, and the microbiome. However, the mechanism for this autoimmune sex bias remains obscure. In this manuscript, we evaluate the hypothesis that qualitative or quantitative differences in circulating antibodies may explain, at least in part, the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease and its sex bias-especially when considering an evolutionary perspective. Indeed, women have higher absolute levels of antibodies than men, and (auto)antibodies are also associated with most autoimmune diseases. Several facts suggest differences in antibodies may cause increased prevalence of autoimmune disease in women. First, the association between increased quantities of serum antibodies and increased prevalence of autoimmunity is found not only in women, but also in men with Klinefelter syndrome. Second, both serum antibody levels and autoimmunity spike in the postpartum period. Third, a dose-response effect exists between parity and both serum antibodies and prevalence of autoimmune disease. Fourth, many biologically plausible mechanisms explain the association, such as T cell-dependent activation of B cells and/or VGLL3. The evolutionary underpinning of increased antibodies in women is likely to be protection of offspring from infections. Overall, this evolutionary paradigm can help explain why the phenomenon of autoimmunity occurs preferentially in women and raises the possibility of new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stanley Louis Bridges
- Division of Clinical Immunology and RheumatologyUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamALUSA
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Bianchi DW, Khosrotehrani K, Way SS, MacKenzie TC, Bajema I, O'Donoghue K. Forever Connected: The Lifelong Biological Consequences of Fetomaternal and Maternofetal Microchimerism. Clin Chem 2020; 67:351-362. [PMID: 33417673 PMCID: PMC10072000 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvaa304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Originally studied as a mechanism to understand eclampsia-related deaths during pregnancy, fetal cells in maternal blood have more recently garnered attention as a noninvasive source of fetal material for prenatal testing. In the 21st century, however, intact fetal cells have been largely supplanted by circulating cell-free placental DNA for aneuploidy screening. Instead, interest has pivoted to the ways in which fetal cells influence maternal biology. In parallel, an increasing appreciation of the consequences of maternal cells in the developing fetus has occurred. CONTENT In this review, we highlight the potential clinical applications and functional consequences of the bidirectional trafficking of intact cells between a pregnant woman and her fetus. Fetal cells play a potential role in the pathogenesis of maternal disease and tissue repair. Maternal cells play an essential role in educating the fetal immune system and as a factor in transplant acceptance. Naturally occurring maternal microchimerism is also being explored as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplant in fetal hematopoietic disorders. SUMMARY Future investigations in humans need to include complete pregnancy histories to understand maternal health and transplant success or failure. Animal models are useful to understand the mechanisms underlying fetal wound healing and/or repair associated with maternal injury and inflammation. The lifelong consequences of the exchange of cells between a mother and her child are profound and have many applications in development, health, and disease. This intricate exchange of genetically foreign cells creates a permanent connection that contributes to the survival of both individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana W Bianchi
- National Human Genome Research Institute and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kiarash Khosrotehrani
- Experimental Dermatology Group, The University of Queensland, UQ Diamantina Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - 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, USA
| | - Tippi C MacKenzie
- Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine and the Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ingeborg Bajema
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Keelin O'Donoghue
- Irish Centre for Maternal and Child Health (INFANT), University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Pan TD, Kanaan SB, Lee NR, Avila JL, Nelson JL, Eisenberg DTA. Predictors of maternal-origin microchimerism in young women in the Philippines. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:213-223. [PMID: 33300155 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Microchimerism is the presence of a small quantity of cells or DNA from a genetically distinct individual. This phenomenon occurs with bidirectional maternal-fetal exchange during pregnancy. Microchimerism can persist for decades after delivery and have long-term health implications. However, little is known about why microchimerism is detectable at varying levels in different individuals. We examine the variability and the following potential determinants of maternal-origin microchimerism (MMc) in young women in the Philippines: gestational duration (in utero exposure to MMc), history of being breastfed (postpartum exposure to MMc), maternal telomere length (maternal cells' ability to replicate and persist), and participant's pregnancies in young adulthood (effect of adding fetal-origin microchimerism to preexisting MMc). MATERIALS AND METHODS Data are from the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, a population-based study of infant feeding practices and long-term health outcomes. We quantified MMc using quantitative PCR (qPCR) in 89 female participants, ages 20-22, and analyzed these data using negative binomial regression. RESULTS In a multivariate model including all predictors, being breastfed substantially predicted decreased MMc (detection rate ratio = 0.15, p = 0.007), and there was a trend of decreasing MMc in participants who had experienced more pregnancies (detection rate ratio = 0.55, p = 0.057). DISCUSSION These results might be explained by breastfeeding having lasting impact on immune regulatory networks, thus reducing MMc persistence. MMc may also decrease in response to the introduction of fetal-origin microchimerism with pregnancies experienced in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany D Pan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sami B Kanaan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nanette R Lee
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, Inc., Cebu City, Philippines
- Department of Anthropology, Sociology & History, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - Josephine L Avila
- USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, Inc., Cebu City, Philippines
- Department of Architecture, School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design, University of San Carlos, Cebu City, Philippines
| | - J Lee Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Dan T A Eisenberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Kanaan SB, Delaney C, Milano F, Scaradavou A, Besien KV, Allen J, Lambert NC, Cousin E, Thur LA, Kahn E, Forsyth AM, Sensoy O, Nelson JL. Cord blood maternal microchimerism following unrelated cord blood transplantation. Bone Marrow Transplant 2020; 56:1090-1098. [PMID: 33257776 PMCID: PMC8119290 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-020-01149-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Cord blood transplantation (CBT) is associated with low risk of leukemia
relapse. Mechanisms underlying antileukemia benefit of CBT are not well
understood, however a previous study strongly but indirectly implicated cells
from the mother of the cord blood (CB) donor. A fetus acquires a small number of
maternal cells referred to as maternal microchimerism (MMc) and MMc is sometimes
detectable in CB. From a series of 95 patients who underwent double or single
CBT at our center, we obtained or generated HLA-genotyping of CB mothers in 68.
We employed a technique of highly sensitive HLA-specific quantitative-PCR assays
targeting polymorphisms unique to the CB mother to assay CB-MMc in patients
post-CBT. After additional exclusion criteria, CB-MMc was evaluated at multiple
timepoints in 36 patients (529 specimens). CB-MMc was present in 7 (19.4%)
patients in bone marrow, peripheral blood, innate and adaptive immune cell
subsets, and was detected up to 1-year post-CBT. Statistical trends to lower
relapse, mortality, and treatment failure were observed for patients with vs.
without CB-MMc post-CBT. Our study provides proof-of-concept that maternal cells
of the CB graft can be tracked in recipients post-CBT, and underscore the
importance of further investigating CB-MMc in sustained remission from leukemia
following CBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sami B Kanaan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Colleen Delaney
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington (UW), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Filippo Milano
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington (UW), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Andromachi Scaradavou
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Koen van Besien
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Judy Allen
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nathalie C Lambert
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Emma Cousin
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Laurel A Thur
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Elena Kahn
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexandra M Forsyth
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Oyku Sensoy
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA
| | - J Lee Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC), Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington (UW), Seattle, WA, USA
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES During pregnancy, small quantities of maternal cells are naturally transmitted to the fetus. This transmission, termed maternal microchimerism (MMc), has been implicated in autoimmune diseases but its potential role is unclear. We aimed to investigate if MMc at birth predicted childhood celiac disease (CD) risk, a common immune-mediated enteropathy often presenting in childhood. METHODS We designed a case-control study, nested in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort. Participants were HLA class II typed to determine noninherited, nonshared maternal alleles (NIMA). Droplet digital (dd) PCR assays specific for common HLA class II NIMAs (HLA-DQB103:01, 04:02 and 06:02/03) were used to estimate the quantity of maternal DNA, as a marker of maternal cells, in cord blood DNA from 124 children who later developed clinically diagnosed CD (median age at end of study 7.4 years, range 3.6-12.9) and 124 random controls. We tested whether presence of MMc was associated with CD using logistic regression, and compared ranks between cases and controls. RESULTS MMc, for example, maternal HLA antigens not inherited by the child, was found in 42% of cases and 43% of controls, and not associated with CD (odds ratio [OR] 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58-1.60). The ranks of MMc quantities in cases and controls were also similar (Mann-Whitney U-test, P = 0.71). The subgroup with HLA-DQB1:03*01 as their NIMA had a potential association with MMc, where levels greater than median was associated with CD (OR 3.78, 95% CI 1.28-11.18). CONCLUSION MMc measured in cord blood was not associated with later risk of CD.
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Peters HE, Johnson BN, Ehli EA, Micha D, Verhoeven MO, Davies GE, Dekker JJML, Overbeek A, Berg MHVD, Dulmen-den Broeder EV, Leeuwen FEV, Mijatovic V, Boomsma DI, Lambalk CB. Low prevalence of male microchimerism in women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome. Hum Reprod 2020; 34:1117-1125. [PMID: 31111890 PMCID: PMC6554047 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Is there an increased prevalence of male microchimerism in women with Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome, as evidence of fetal exposure to blood and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) from a (vanished) male co-twin resulting in regression of the Müllerian duct derivatives? SUMMARY ANSWER Predominant absence of male microchimerism in adult women with MRKH syndrome does not support our hypothesis that intrauterine blood exchange with a (vanished) male co-twin is the pathophysiological mechanism. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY The etiology of MRKH is unclear. Research on the phenotype analogous condition in cattle (freemartinism) has yielded the hypothesis that Müllerian duct development is inhibited by exposure to AMH in utero. In cattle, the male co-twin has been identified as the source for AMH, which is transferred via placental blood exchange. In human twins, a similar exchange of cellular material has been documented by detection of chimerism, but it is unknown whether this has clinical consequences. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION An observational case–control study was performed to compare the presence of male microchimerism in women with MRKH syndrome and control women. Through recruitment via the Dutch patients’ association of women with MRKH (comprising 300 members who were informed by email or regular mail), we enrolled 96 patients between January 2017 and July 2017. The control group consisted of 100 women who reported never having been pregnant. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS After written informed consent, peripheral blood samples were obtained by venipuncture, and genomic DNA was extracted. Male microchimerism was detected by Y-chromosome–specific real-time quantitative PCR, with use of DYS14 marker. Possible other sources for microchimerism, for example older brothers, were evaluated using questionnaire data. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE The final analysis included 194 women: 95 women with MRKH syndrome with a mean age of 40.9 years and 99 control women with a mean age of 30.2 years. In total, 54 women (56.8%) were identified as having typical MRKH syndrome, and 41 women (43.2%) were identified as having atypical MRKH syndrome (when extra-genital malformations were present). The prevalence of male microchimerism was significantly higher in the control group than in the MRKH group (17.2% versus 5.3%, P = 0.009). After correcting for age, women in the control group were 5.8 times more likely to have male microchimerism (odds ratio 5.84 (CI 1.59–21.47), P = 0.008). The mean concentration of male microchimerism in the positive samples was 56.0 male genome equivalent per 1 000 000 cells. The prevalence of male microchimerism was similar in women with typical MRKH syndrome and atypical MRKH syndrome (5.6% versus 4.9%, P = 0.884). There were no differences between women with or without microchimerism in occurrence of alternative sources of XY cells, such as older brothers, previous blood transfusion, or history of sexual intercourse. LIMITATIONS, REASON FOR CAUTION We are not able to draw definitive conclusions regarding the occurrence of AMH exchange during embryologic development in women with MRKH syndrome. Our subject population includes all adult women and therefore is reliant on long-term prevalence of microchimerism. Moreover, we have only tested blood, and, theoretically, the cells may have grafted anywhere in the body during development. It must also be considered that the exchange of AMH may occur without the transfusion of XY cells and therefore cannot be discovered by chimerism detection. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This is the first study to test the theory that freemartinism causes the MRKH syndrome in humans. The study aimed to test the presence of male microchimerism in women with MRKH syndrome as a reflection of early fetal exposure to blood and AMH from a male (vanished) co-twin. We found that male microchimerism was only present in 5.3% of the women with MRKH syndrome, a significantly lower percentage than in the control group (17.2%). Our results do not provide evidence for an increased male microchimerism in adult women with MRKH as a product of intrauterine blood exchange. However, the significant difference in favor of the control group is of interest to the ongoing discussion on microchimeric cell transfer and the possible sources of XY cells. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) None. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Dutch trial register, NTR5961.
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Affiliation(s)
- H E Peters
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - B N Johnson
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - E A Ehli
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - D Micha
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M O Verhoeven
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - G E Davies
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - J J M L Dekker
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A Overbeek
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M H van den Berg
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology/Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - E van Dulmen-den Broeder
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Oncology/Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - F E van Leeuwen
- Department of Epidemiology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - V Mijatovic
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - D I Boomsma
- Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - C B Lambalk
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Barth C, de Lange AMG. Towards an understanding of women's brain aging: the immunology of pregnancy and menopause. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 58:100850. [PMID: 32504632 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Women are at significantly greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and show higher prevalence of autoimmune conditions relative to men. Women's brain health is historically understudied, and little is therefore known about the mechanisms underlying epidemiological sex differences in neurodegenerative diseases, and how female-specific factors may influence women's brain health across the lifespan. In this review, we summarize recent studies on the immunology of pregnancy and menopause, emphasizing that these major immunoendocrine transition phases may play a critical part in women's brain aging trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Barth
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
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38
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Schonewille H, van de Watering LMG, Oepkes D, Lopriore E, Cobbaert CM, Brand A. Prevalence of red-blood-cell and non-red-blood-cell-targeted autoantibodies in alloimmunized postpartum women. Vox Sang 2020; 115:783-789. [PMID: 32458481 DOI: 10.1111/vox.12941] [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: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Alloantibodies against red-blood-cell (RBC) antigens often coincide with alloantibodies against leucocytes and platelets and sometimes with autoantibodies towards various antigens. Chimerism may be one of the factors responsible for the combination of allo- and autoantibodies. Women with alloantibodies against RBC antigens causing haemolytic disease of the fetus and neonate may need to receive intrauterine transfusions. These transfusions increase not only maternal antibody formation but also fetomaternal bleeding and may enhance fetal chimerism. We determined the prevalence of and risk factors for autoantibodies against some common clinical target antigens, in alloimmunized women after IUT. MATERIALS AND METHODS We tested for autoantibodies against RBC, anti-thyroid peroxidase, anti-extractable nuclear antigens, anti-cyclic citrullinated proteins and anti-tissue transglutaminase. Women with and without autoantibodies were compared for age; number of RBC alloantibodies, pregnancies and IUTs, and other factors that may play a role in immunization. RESULTS Non-RBC-targeted autoantibodies were present in 40 of 258 tested women (15·5%, with 90% anti-TPO specificity), comparable to the prevalence reported in healthy Dutch women of these ages. Surprisingly, compared with women who had a single RBC alloantibody, a significantly higher proportion of women with multiple RBC alloantibodies had autoantibodies (5·3% and 18·4%, respectively; odds ratio 4·06, 95% CI: 1·20-13·7). Other characteristics of women with and without autoantibodies were not different. CONCLUSION Multiple RBC alloantibodies after extensive allogeneic exposure during pregnancy and presumed increased fetomaternal chimerism are not associated with (selected) autoantibodies. Lack of allo-RBC multi-responsiveness seems associated with decreased auto(-TPO) antibody formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henk Schonewille
- Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Jon J van Rood Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin-Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Leo M G van de Watering
- Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Jon J van Rood Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin-Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Dick Oepkes
- Department of Obstetrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Enrico Lopriore
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christa M Cobbaert
- Department of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anneke Brand
- Center for Clinical Transfusion Research, Sanquin Research, Leiden, The Netherlands.,Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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39
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Abstract
The disease course of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis is altered during pregnancy, and a similar modulatory role of pregnancy on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been proposed. Hormonal, immunological, and microbial changes occurring during normal pregnancy may interact with the pathophysiology of IBD. IBD consists of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and because of genetic, immunological, and microbial differences between these disease entities, they may react differently during pregnancy and should be described separately. This review will address the pregnancy-induced physiological changes and their potential effect on the disease course of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, with emphasis on the modulation of epithelial barrier function and immune profiles by pregnancy hormones, microbial changes, and microchimerism.
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40
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Maternal microchimerism protects hemophilia A patients from inhibitor development. Blood Adv 2020; 4:1867-1869. [PMID: 32374877 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020001832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Key Points
Deleterious F8 mutations do not necessarily lead to the incidence of inhibitors in hemophilia A patients receiving replacement therapy. Maternal chimeric cells migrated into a fetus with hemophilia A during pregnancy could induce tolerance toward FVIII.
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41
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Gash KK, Yang M, Fan Z, Regouski M, Rutigliano HM, Polejaeva IA. Assessment of microchimerism following somatic cell nuclear transfer and natural pregnancies in goats. J Anim Sci 2019; 97:3786-3794. [PMID: 31353395 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microchimerism is defined as the presence of a small population of cells or DNA in 1 organism originated from a genetically different organism. It is well established that this phenomenon occurs in humans and mice as cells are exchanged between mother and fetus during gestation. Currently, no information is available about the presence of maternal microchimerism in goats, and the only published study is limited to an evaluation of fetal and fetal-fetal microchimerism in blood samples following natural breeding. In order to determine whether bidirectional fetal-maternal cell or DNA trafficking occurs in goats, we assessed: 1) fetal microchimerism in surrogates that gave birth to somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)-derived transgenic offspring (n = 4), 2) maternal microchimerism following natural breeding of SCNT-derived transgenic does with a nontransgenic buck (n = 4), and 3) fetal-fetal microchimerism in nontransgenic twins of transgenic offspring (n = 3). Neomycin-resistance gene (NEO) gene was selected as the marker to detect the presence of the αMHC-TGF-β1-Neo transgene in kidney, liver, lung, lymph node, and spleen. We found no detectable maternal or fetal-fetal microchimerism in the investigated tissues of nontransgenic offspring. However, fetal microchimerism was detected in lymph node tissue of one of the surrogate dams carrying a SCNT pregnancy. These results indicate occurrence of cell trafficking from fetus to mother during SCNT pregnancies. The findings of this study have direct implications on the use and disposal of nontransgenic surrogates and nontransgenic offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten K Gash
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Min Yang
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Zhiqiang Fan
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Misha Regouski
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Heloisa M Rutigliano
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT.,School of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, Logan, UT
| | - Irina A Polejaeva
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT
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Horton DB, Shenoi S. Review of environmental factors and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Open Access Rheumatol 2019; 11:253-267. [PMID: 31807094 PMCID: PMC6842741 DOI: 10.2147/oarrr.s165916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis is a common rheumatic disease that presents as chronic childhood arthritis. JIA is considered a multifactorial disease that may result from diverse genetic and environmental risk factors. A minority of the population-attributable risk of JIA is estimated to be due to familial factors. Thus, non-genetic or environmental factors likely account for a majority of the risk of developing JIA. Yet, while substantial data have linked environmental factors to the development of rheumatoid arthritis, similar evidence regarding JIA is sparse. This narrative review provides updates on recent literature about environmental factors that might influence the risk of developing JIA, including studies about potentially beneficial and harmful influences as well as factors with unclear effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Horton
- Department of Pediatrics, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science, Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.,Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Susan Shenoi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Seattle Children's Hospital and Research Center and University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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43
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Immunogenicity of a rheumatoid arthritis protective sequence when acquired through microchimerism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19600-19608. [PMID: 31501349 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1904779116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
HLA class II genes provide the strongest genetic contribution to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). HLA-DRB1 alleles encoding the sequence DERAA are RA-protective. Paradoxically, RA risk is increased in women with DERAA+ children born prior to onset. We developed a sensitive qPCR assay specific for DERAA, and found 53% of DERAA-/- women with RA had microchimerism (Mc; pregnancy-derived allogeneic cells) carrying DERAA (DERAA-Mc) vs. 6% of healthy women. DERAA-Mc quantities correlated with an RA-risk genetic background including DERAA-binding HLA-DQ alleles, early RA onset, and aspects of RA severity. CD4+ T cells showed stronger response against DERAA+ vs. DERAA- allogeneic cell lines in vitro, in line with an immunogenic role of allogeneic DERAA. Results indicate a model where DERAA-Mc activates DERAA-directed T cells that are naturally present in DERAA-/- individuals and can have cross-reactivity against joint antigens. Moreover, we provide an explanation for the enigmatic observation that the same HLA sequence differentially affects RA risk through Mendelian inheritance vs. microchimeric cell acquisition.
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44
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Martin GV, Kanaan SB, Hemon MF, Azzouz DF, El Haddad M, Balandraud N, Mignon-Ravix C, Picard C, Arnoux F, Martin M, Roudier J, Auger I, Lambert NC. Mosaicism of XX and XXY cells accounts for high copy number of Toll like Receptor 7 and 8 genes in peripheral blood of men with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Sci Rep 2019; 9:12880. [PMID: 31501466 PMCID: PMC6733859 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49309-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The X chromosome, hemizygous in males, contains numerous genes important to immunological and hormonal function. Alterations in X-linked gene dosage are suspected to contribute to female predominance in autoimmunity. A powerful example of X-linked dosage involvement comes from the BXSB murine lupus model, where the duplication of the X-linked Toll-Like Receptor 7 (Tlr7) gene aggravates autoimmunity in male mice. Such alterations are possible in men with autoimmune diseases. Here we showed that a quarter to a third of men with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had significantly increased copy numbers (CN) of TLR7 gene and its paralog TLR8. Patients with high CN had an upregulated pro-inflammatory JNK/p38 signaling pathway. By fluorescence in situ hybridization, we further demonstrated that the increase in X-linked genes CN was due to the presence of an extra X chromosome in some cells. Men with RA had a significant cellular mosaicism of female (46,XX) and/or Klinefelter (47,XXY) cells among male (46,XY) cells, reaching up to 1.4% in peripheral blood. Our results present a new potential trigger for RA in men and opens a new field of investigation particularly relevant for gender-biased autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel V Martin
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Sami B Kanaan
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Marie F Hemon
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Arthritis R&D, Neuilly-Sur-Seine, France
| | - Doua F Azzouz
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Marina El Haddad
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Nathalie Balandraud
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Sainte Marguerite, AP-HM, Marseille, France
| | - Cécile Mignon-Ravix
- Arthritis R&D, Neuilly-Sur-Seine, France.,Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Picard
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR7268 (ADES), "Biologie des Groupes Sanguin", Marseille, France.,Etablissement Français du Sang (EFS), Marseille, France
| | - Fanny Arnoux
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Marielle Martin
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Jean Roudier
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France.,Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital Sainte Marguerite, AP-HM, Marseille, France
| | - Isabelle Auger
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Nathalie C Lambert
- INSERM UMRs 1097 Arthrites Autoimmunes, Aix Marseille Université, Marseille, France.
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Stevens AM, Torok KS, Li SC, Taber SF, Lu TT, Zulian F. Immunopathogenesis of Juvenile Systemic Sclerosis. Front Immunol 2019; 10:1352. [PMID: 31293569 PMCID: PMC6603145 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Juvenile-onset systemic sclerosis (jSSc) is a rare and severe autoimmune disease with associated life-threatening organ inflammation and evidence of fibrosis. The organ manifestations of jSSc resemble adult SSc, but with better outcomes and survival. The etiology of jSSc appears to reflect adult-onset SSc, with similar inflammatory mediators and autoantibodies, but with a significant population of children with uncharacterized anti-nuclear antibodies. The genetics of patients with jSSc differ from women with SSc, resembling instead the genes of adult males with SSc, with additional HLA genes uniquely associated with childhood-onset disease. Current treatments are aimed at inhibiting the inflammatory aspect of disease, but important mechanisms of fibrosis regulated by dermal white adipose tissue dendritic cells may provide an avenue for targeting and potentially reversing the fibrotic stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M. Stevens
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kathryn S. Torok
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Suzanne C. Li
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, Hackensack, NJ, United States
| | - Sarah F. Taber
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Theresa T. Lu
- Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, United States
- HSS Research Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Francesco Zulian
- Rheumatology Unit, Department of Woman's and Child's Health, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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46
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Pan TD, Mueller BA, Dugowson CE, Richardson ML, Nelson JL. Disease progression in relation to pre-onset parity among women with rheumatoid arthritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2019; 50:1-6. [PMID: 31324468 DOI: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2019.06.011] [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: 12/17/2018] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often ameliorates during pregnancy and flares postpartum, but the relationship of pregnancy and childbirth to RA prognosis is unclear. We examined RA severity for association with parity prior to RA onset and asked whether time from birth (latency) and/or the mother's HLA genotype influenced results. METHODS A cohort study was conducted of 222 women previously identified in a prospective study of newly diagnosed RA, who returned for follow-up evaluation a median of 8 years later. Stratified analyses using Mantel-Haenszel methods were conducted to evaluate 5 RA severity measures based on hand and wrist radiographs, physical exams, and Health Assessment Questionnaires for association with parity. RESULTS Overall, we observed little evidence of altered risk of progression to severe RA in relation to pre-onset parity, adjusting for RA onset age and time to follow-up. Stratifying parous women who had only live births by latency (<15 years/15+ years) showed no difference in risk of severe RA compared to nulligravid women. Live birth deliveries were significantly protective for women with 0 but not for those with 1 or 2 copies of the RA risk-associated HLA-DRB1 shared epitope sequence for erosion score (RR 0.26 95% CI 0.09-0.89) and joint count (RR 0.28 95% CI 0.09-0.87). CONCLUSION We observed little evidence of difference in severe RA by pre-onset parity overall. However, among women not predisposed to RA by possessing the risk-associated HLA genotype, parous women who had only live births had lower risk of progression to severe RA as measured by erosion score and joint count.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany D Pan
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 357236, Seattle, WA 98195 USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Box 353100, Seattle, WA 98195 USA.
| | - Beth A Mueller
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 357236, Seattle, WA 98195 USA; Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., PO Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109 USA
| | - Carin E Dugowson
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Washington, Box 356428, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - Michael L Richardson
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Box 357115, Seattle, WA 98195 USA
| | - J Lee Nelson
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Washington, Box 356428, Seattle, WA 98195 USA; Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., PO Box 19024, Seattle, WA 98109 USA
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47
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Hahn S, Hasler P, Vokalova L, van Breda SV, Than NG, Hoesli IM, Lapaire O, Rossi SW. Feto-Maternal Microchimerism: The Pre-eclampsia Conundrum. Front Immunol 2019; 10:659. [PMID: 31001268 PMCID: PMC6455070 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Feto-maternal microchimerism (FMM) involves bidirectional cross-placental trafficking during pregnancy, leading to a micro-chimeric state that can persist for decades. In this manner a pregnant woman will harbor cells from her mother, as well as, cells from her child. Historically, eclampsia, a severe disorder of pregnancy provided the basis for FMM following the detection of trophoblast cells in the lungs of deceased women. Bi-directional cell trafficking between mother and fetus is also altered in pre-eclampsia and has been suggested to contribute to the underlying etiology. FMM has been implicated in tolerance promotion, remission of auto-inflammatory disorders during pregnancy, or the development of autoimmune conditions post-partum. The underlying mechanism whereby the host immune system is modulated is unclear but appears to involve HLA class II molecules, in that incompatibility between mother and fetus promotes remission of rheumatoid arthritis, whereas feto-maternal HLA compatibility may assist in the post-partum initiation of scleroderma. Couples having a high degree of HLA class II compatibility have an increased risk for pre-eclampsia, while the occurrence of scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis is greater in pre-eclamptic cases than in women with normal pregnancies, suggesting a long term autoimmune predisposition. Since pregnant women with pre-eclampsia exhibit significantly lower levels of maternally-derived micro-chimerism, the question arises whether pre-eclampsia and post-partum development of autoimmune conditions occur due to the failure of the grandmothers cells to adequately regulate an inappropriate micro-chimeric constellation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinuhe Hahn
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Paul Hasler
- Division of Rheumatology, Medical University Department, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Lenka Vokalova
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Shane Vontelin van Breda
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Division of Rheumatology, Medical University Department, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland
| | - Nandor Gabor Than
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Lendulet Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Olav Lapaire
- Department of Obstetrics, University Women's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Simona W Rossi
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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48
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Yeung HY, Dendrou CA. Pregnancy Immunogenetics and Genomics: Implications for Pregnancy-Related Complications and Autoimmune Disease. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2019; 20:73-97. [PMID: 30848957 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-083118-014943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy presents a singular physiological scenario during which the maternal immune system must accommodate the semiallogeneic fetus. Fluctuations between pro- and anti-inflammatory states are required throughout gestation to facilitate uterine tissue remodeling, fetal growth and development, and finally birth. Tolerance for the fetus must be established and maintained without fundamentally compromising the maternal immune system function, so that both the mother and fetus are protected from foreign insults. Here, we review our current understanding of how genetic variation at both maternal and fetal loci affects implantation and placenta formation, thereby determining the likelihood of a successful pregnancy outcome or the development of pregnancy-related complications. We also consider the impact of pregnancy on both the maternal and fetal systemic immune systems and the related implications for modulating ongoing autoimmune diseases and triggering their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hing-Yuen Yeung
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom;
| | - Calliope A Dendrou
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom;
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49
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Shree R, Harrington WE, Kanaan SB, Forsyth A, Cousin E, Lopez A, Nelson JL, Gammill HS. Fetal microchimerism by mode of delivery: a prospective cohort study. BJOG 2019; 126:24-31. [PMID: 30102819 PMCID: PMC6294652 DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.15432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare fetal microchimerism (FMc) in pregnancies with uncomplicated vaginal delivery (VD) versus caesarean delivery (CD). DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, USA. POPULATION Women delivering singleton pregnancies without pertinent antenatal complications with uncomplicated deliveries (n = 36). METHODS We collected maternal predelivery, postdelivery and umbilical cord blood for each mother-baby pair. Following maternal and fetal genotyping, FMc was measured with quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays targeting fetus-specific polymorphisms. Quantification of FMc is expressed as genome equivalents (gEq) of fetal DNA/100 000 total gEq tested. FMc detection was evaluated by logistic regression while controlling for total number of cell equivalents tested and clinically relevant covariates. FMc concentrations were compared using negative binomial regression while controlling for the same covariates and predelivery FMc positivity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Detection and concentration of FMc by mode of delivery. RESULTS Twenty-four mother-baby pairs had a VD and 12 had a CD. Postdelivery FMc detection was higher following CD than after VD (58.3% versus 16.7%, P = 0.02). After controlling for covariates, the likelihood of postdelivery FMc detection was almost nine-fold higher after CD than VD (odds ratio 8.8, 95% CI 1.6-47.6; P = 0.01). With respect to postdelivery FMc concentration, the detection rate ratio for CD versus VD in the adjusted negative binomial regression model was 14.7 (95% CI 3.2-66.8; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION Postdelivery peripheral FMc detection and concentration are significantly higher after CD than after VD. As FMc is associated with long-term maternal health, our findings suggest that the mode of delivery may impact this risk. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT Greater fetal microchimerism found in maternal blood following caesarean delivery compared with vaginal delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Shree
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - W E Harrington
- Department of Pediatrics, Seattle Children's Hospital, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - S B Kanaan
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - A Forsyth
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - E Cousin
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - A Lopez
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - J L Nelson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - H S Gammill
- Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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50
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Zazara DE, Arck PC. Developmental origin and sex-specific risk for infections and immune diseases later in life. Semin Immunopathol 2018; 41:137-151. [DOI: 10.1007/s00281-018-0713-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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