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Castellan FS, Irie N. Postnatal depletion of maternal cells biases T lymphocytes and natural killer cells' profiles toward early activation in the spleen. Biol Open 2022; 11:bio059334. [PMID: 36349799 PMCID: PMC9672855 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The maternal cells transferred into the fetus during gestation persist long after birth in the progeny. These maternal cells have been hypothesized to promote the maturation of the fetal immune system in utero but there are still significant gaps in our knowledge of their potential roles after birth. To provide insights into these maternal cells' postnatal functional roles, we set up a transgenic mouse model to specifically eliminate maternal cells in the neonates by diphtheria toxin injection and confirmed significant depletion in the spleens. We then performed immunophenotyping of the spleens of two-week-old pups by mass cytometry to pinpoint the immune profile differences driven by the depletion of maternal cells in early postnatal life. We observed a heightened expression of markers related to activation and maturation in some natural killer and T cell populations. We hypothesize these results to indicate a potential postnatal regulation of lymphocytic responses by maternal cells. Together, our findings highlight an immunological influence of maternal microchimeric cells postnatally, possibly protecting against adverse hypersensitivity reactions of the neonate at a crucial time of new encounters with self and environmental antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flore S. Castellan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naoki Irie
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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2
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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] [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. During pregnancy, maternal cells are transferred to the fetus, where they can reach the developing brain. In this study, the authors demonstrate that these maternal cells play an important role in neurodevelopment.
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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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3
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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: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [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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4
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Johnson BN, Ehli EA, Davies GE, Boomsma DI. Chimerism in health and potential implications on behavior: A systematic review. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 182:1513-1529. [PMID: 32212323 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.61565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we focus on the phenomenon of chimerism and especially microchimerism as one of the currently underexplored explanations for differences in health and behavior. Chimerism is an amalgamation of cells from two or more unique zygotes within a single organism, with microchimerism defined by a minor cell population of <1%. This article first presents an overview of the primary techniques employed to detect and quantify the presence of microchimerism and then reviews empirical studies of chimerism in mammals including primates and humans. In women, male microchimerism, a condition suggested to be the result of fetomaternal exchange in utero, is relatively easily detected by polymerase chain reaction molecular techniques targeting Y-chromosomal markers. Consequently, studies of chimerism in human diseases have largely focused on diseases with a predilection for females including autoimmune diseases, and female cancers. We detail studies of chimerism in human diseases and also discuss some potential implications in behavior. Understanding the prevalence of chimerism and the associated health outcomes will provide invaluable knowledge of human biology and guide novel approaches for treating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon N Johnson
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Erik A Ehli
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Gareth E Davies
- Avera Institute for Human Genetics, Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA
| | - Dorret I Boomsma
- Netherlands Twin Register, Department of Biological Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Thiele K, Hierweger AM, Riquelme JIA, Solano ME, Lydon JP, Arck PC. Impaired Progesterone-Responsiveness of CD11c + Dendritic Cells Affects the Generation of CD4 + Regulatory T Cells and Is Associated With Intrauterine Growth Restriction in Mice. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:96. [PMID: 30858825 PMCID: PMC6397849 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Up to 10% of pregnancies in Western societies are affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). IUGR reduces short-term neonatal survival and impairs long-term health of the children. To date, the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of IUGR are largely unknown, but the failure to mount an adequate endocrine and immune response during pregnancy has been proposed to facilitate the occurrence of IUGR. A cross talk between the pregnancy hormone progesterone and innate immune cell subsets such as dendritic cells (DCs) is vital to ensure adequate placentation and fetal growth. However, experimental strategies to pinpoint distinct immune cell subsets interacting with progesterone in vivo have long been limited. In the present study, we have overcome this limitation by generating a mouse line with a specific deletion of the progesterone receptor (PR) on CD11c+ DCs. We took advantage of the cre/loxP system and assessed reproductive outcome in Balb/c-mated C57Bl/6 PRflox/floxCD11ccre/wt females. Balb/c-mated C57Bl/6 PRwt/wtCD11ccre/wt females served as controls. In all dams, fetal growth and development, placental function and maternal immune and endocrine adaptation were evaluated at different gestational time points. We observed a significantly reduced fetal weight on gestational day 13.5 and 18.5 in PRflox/floxCD11ccre/wt females. While frequencies of uterine CD11c+ cells were similar in both groups, an increased frequency of co-stimulatory molecules was observed on DCs in PRflox/floxCD11ccre/wt mice, along with reduced frequencies of CD4+ FoxP3+ and CD8+ CD122+ regulatory T (Treg) cells. Placental histomorphology revealed a skew toward increased junctional zone at the expense of the labyrinth in implantations of PRflox/floxCD11ccre/wt females, accompanied by increased plasma progesterone concentrations. Our results support that DCs are highly responsive to progesterone, subsequently adapting to a tolerogenic phenotype. If such cross talk between progesterone and DCs is impaired, the generation of pregnancy-protective immune cells subsets such as CD4+ and CD8+ Treg cells is reduced, which is associated with poor placentation and IUGR in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Thiele
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- *Correspondence: Kristin Thiele
| | - Alexandra Maximiliane Hierweger
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julia Isabel Amambay Riquelme
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - María Emilia Solano
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - John P. Lydon
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Petra Clara Arck
- Division of Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Petra Clara Arck
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6
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Ståhlberg A, El-Heliebi A, Sedlmayr P, Kroneis T. Unravelling the biological secrets of microchimerism by single-cell analysis. Brief Funct Genomics 2018; 17:255-264. [PMID: 29028900 PMCID: PMC6063264 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elx027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of microchimeric cells is known for >100 years and well documented since decades. Earlier, microchimeric cells were mainly used for cell-based non-invasive prenatal diagnostics during early pregnancy. Microchimeric cells are also present beyond delivery and are associated to various autoimmune diseases, tissue repair, cancer and immune tolerance. All these findings were based on low complexity studies and occasionally accompanied by artefacts not allowing the biological functions of microchimerism to be determined. However, with the recent developments in single-cell analysis, new means to identify and characterize microchimeric cells are available. Cell labelling techniques in combination with single-cell analysis provide a new toolbox to decipher the biology of microchimeric cells at molecular and cellular level. In this review, we discuss how recent developments in single-cell analysis can be applied to determine the role and function of microchimeric cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Ståhlberg
- Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Department of Pathology and Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 1F, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Amin El-Heliebi
- Institute of Cell Biology, Histology & Embryology, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21, Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Sedlmayr
- Institute of Cell Biology, Histology & Embryology, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21, Graz, Austria
| | - Thomas Kroneis
- Sahlgrenska Cancer Center, Department of Pathology and Genetics, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 1F, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Institute of Cell Biology, Histology & Embryology, Medical University of Graz, Harrachgasse 21, Graz, Austria
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7
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Boddy AM, Fortunato A, Wilson Sayres M, Aktipis A. Fetal microchimerism and maternal health: a review and evolutionary analysis of cooperation and conflict beyond the womb. Bioessays 2015; 37:1106-18. [PMID: 26316378 PMCID: PMC4712643 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201500059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The presence of fetal cells has been associated with both positive and negative effects on maternal health. These paradoxical effects may be due to the fact that maternal and offspring fitness interests are aligned in certain domains and conflicting in others, which may have led to the evolution of fetal microchimeric phenotypes that can manipulate maternal tissues. We use cooperation and conflict theory to generate testable predictions about domains in which fetal microchimerism may enhance maternal health and those in which it may be detrimental. This framework suggests that fetal cells may function both to contribute to maternal somatic maintenance (e.g. wound healing) and to manipulate maternal physiology to enhance resource transmission to offspring (e.g. enhancing milk production). In this review, we use an evolutionary framework to make testable predictions about the role of fetal microchimerism in lactation, thyroid function, autoimmune disease, cancer and maternal emotional, and psychological health. Also watch the Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M Boddy
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.,Center for Evolution and Cancer, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Angelo Fortunato
- Center for Evolution and Cancer, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Melissa Wilson Sayres
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Athena Aktipis
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.,Center for Evolution and Cancer, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,Center for Evolution and Medicine, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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8
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Maternal microchimerism: lessons learned from murine models. J Reprod Immunol 2015; 108:12-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2014.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 12/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Solano ME, Thiele K, Stelzer IA, Mittrücker HW, Arck PC. Advancing the detection of maternal haematopoietic microchimeric cells in fetal immune organs in mice by flow cytometry. CHIMERISM 2014; 5:99-102. [PMID: 25483743 PMCID: PMC5063069 DOI: 10.4161/19381956.2014.959827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Maternal microchimerism, which occurs naturally during gestation in hemochorial placental mammals upon transplacental migration of maternal cells into the fetus, is suggested to significantly influence the fetal immune system. In our previous publication, we explored the sensitivity of quantitative polymerase chain reaction and flow cytometry to detect cellular microchimerism. With that purpose, we created mixed cells suspensions in vitro containing reciprocal frequencies of wild type cells and cells positive for enhanced green fluorescent protein or CD45.1+, respectively. Here, we now introduce the H-2 complex, which defines the major histocompatibility complex in mice and is homologous to HLA in human, as an additional target to detect maternal microchimerism among fetal haploidentical cells. We envision that this advanced approach to detect maternal microchimeric cells by flow cytometry facilitates the pursuit of phenotypic, gene expression and functional analysis of microchimeric cells in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Emilia Solano
- a Laboratory for Experimental Feto-maternal Medicine; Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine ; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf ; Hamburg , Germany
| | - Kristin Thiele
- a Laboratory for Experimental Feto-maternal Medicine; Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine ; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf ; Hamburg , Germany
| | - Ina Annelies Stelzer
- a Laboratory for Experimental Feto-maternal Medicine; Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine ; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf ; Hamburg , Germany
| | - Hans-Willi Mittrücker
- b Department of Immunology ; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf ; Hamburg , Germany
| | - Petra Clara Arck
- a Laboratory for Experimental Feto-maternal Medicine; Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine ; University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf ; Hamburg , Germany
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