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Tijani MK, Saleh BH, Lugaajju A, Danielsson L, Persson KEM. Acquisition of anti-phosphatidylserine IgM and IgG antibodies by infants and their mothers over time in Uganda. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1416669. [PMID: 39131160 PMCID: PMC11310174 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1416669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Production of anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibodies has been associated with malaria and can aggravate pathology. How these autoantibodies develop during early childhood in a malaria context is not known. We examined levels of anti-PS IgG and IgM antibodies in a longitudinal cohort of mother-baby pairs during birth, in the infants at 2.5, 6 months, and in mothers and their babies at 9 months postpartum. Results There was no difference between levels of anti-PS IgG in cord blood and the mothers' peripheral blood at birth. However, anti-PS IgM levels were significantly higher in the mothers compared to the infants' cord blood, and IgM levels were steadily increasing during the first 9 months of the infants' life. In infants that had the highest anti-PS IgM levels at birth, there was a decline until 6 months with a rise at 9 months. Infants that possessed high anti-PS IgG at birth also exhibited a progressive decline in levels. When anti-PS were correlated to different fractions of B-cells, there were several correlations with P. falciparum specific atypical B cells both at birth and at 2.5 months for the infants, especially for anti-PS IgM. Anti-PS also correlated strongly to C1q-fixing antibodies at birth. Conclusion These results show that anti-PS IgG acquired by mothers could be transferred transplacentally and that IgM antibodies targeting PS are acquired during the first year of life. These results have increased the knowledge about autoimmune responses associated with infections in early life and is critical for a comprehensive understanding of malaria vaccine functionality in endemic areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muyideen Kolapo Tijani
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Bandar Hassan Saleh
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Allan Lugaajju
- College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lena Danielsson
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kristina E. M. Persson
- Division of Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Laboratory Medicine, Office for Medical Services, Region Skåne, Lund, Sweden
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2
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Locher V, Park S, Bunis DG, Makredes S, Mayer M, Burt TD, Fragiadakis GK, Halkias J. Homeostatic cytokines reciprocally modulate the emergence of prenatal effector PLZF+CD4+ T cells in humans. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e164672. [PMID: 37856221 PMCID: PMC10721317 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.164672] [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: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of human prenatal adaptive immunity progresses faster than previously appreciated, with the emergence of memory CD4+ T cells alongside regulatory T cells by midgestation. We previously identified a prenatal specific population of promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger-positive (PLZF+) CD4+ T cells with heightened effector potential that were enriched in the developing intestine and accumulated in the cord blood of infants exposed to prenatal inflammation. However, the signals that drive their tissue distribution and effector maturation are unknown. Here, we define the transcriptional and functional heterogeneity of human prenatal PLZF+CD4+ T cells and identify the compartmentalization of T helper-like (Th-like) effector function across the small intestine (SI) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs). IL-7 was more abundant in the SI relative to the MLNs and drove the preferential expansion of naive PLZF+CD4+ T cells via enhanced STAT5 and MEK/ERK signaling. Exposure to IL-7 was sufficient to induce the acquisition of CD45RO expression and rapid effector function in a subset of PLZF+CD4+ T cells, identifying a human analog of memory phenotype CD4+ T cells. Further, IL-7 modulated the differentiation of Th1- and Th17-like PLZF+CD4+ T cells and thus likely contributes to the anatomic compartmentalization of human prenatal CD4+ T cell effector function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Locher
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
- Committee on Immunology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sara Park
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Daniel G. Bunis
- Bakar ImmunoX Initiative and
- CoLabs, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Stephanie Makredes
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Margareta Mayer
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Trevor D. Burt
- Division of Neonatology and the Children’s Health & Discovery Initiative, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Gabriela K. Fragiadakis
- Bakar ImmunoX Initiative and
- CoLabs, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Joanna Halkias
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, and
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA
- Bakar ImmunoX Initiative and
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3
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Donald K, Finlay BB. Early-life interactions between the microbiota and immune system: impact on immune system development and atopic disease. Nat Rev Immunol 2023; 23:735-748. [PMID: 37138015 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-023-00874-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal and early postnatal life represent key periods of immune system development. In addition to genetics and host biology, environment has a large and irreversible role in the immune maturation and health of an infant. One key player in this process is the gut microbiota, a diverse community of microorganisms that colonizes the human intestine. The diet, environment and medical interventions experienced by an infant determine the establishment and progression of the intestinal microbiota, which interacts with and trains the developing immune system. Several chronic immune-mediated diseases have been linked to an altered gut microbiota during early infancy. The recent rise in allergic disease incidence has been explained by the 'hygiene hypothesis', which states that societal changes in developed countries have led to reduced early-life microbial exposures, negatively impacting immunity. Although human cohort studies across the globe have established a correlation between early-life microbiota composition and atopy, mechanistic links and specific host-microorganism interactions are still being uncovered. Here, we detail the progression of immune system and microbiota maturation in early life, highlight the mechanistic links between microbes and the immune system, and summarize the role of early-life host-microorganism interactions in allergic disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Donald
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - B Brett Finlay
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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4
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Kayatani AKK, Bobbili N, Megnekou R, Matsunaga M, Leke RFG, Taylor DW. Are high avidity antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum antigens preferentially transferred across the placenta of premature and term babies? Placenta 2023; 140:11-19. [PMID: 37515848 PMCID: PMC10528449 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2023.07.011] [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: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Transplacental transport of maternal IgG via the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) provides babies with passive immunity. Several factors are reported to influence transport, including the avidity of antibodies (Abs) for their cognate antigens. Unfortunately, information on the role of antibody (Ab) avidity is limited. This study investigated if i) antibodies (Abs) with high avidity for 6 Plasmodium falciparum antigens and tetanus toxoid (TTx) were preferentially transferred to premature and term Cameroonian babies and ii) if Ab avidity was increased in babies whose mothers had placental malaria (PM), implicating the involvement of immune complexes. METHODS Total IgG (mg/ml) and Abs to malarial antigens (AMA1, EBA-175, MSP1-42, MSP2, MSP3, DBL5 of VAR2CSA) and TTx were measured in paired mother-cord samples obtained from premature and term deliveries in Cameroon. Half the women had PM at delivery. Avidity Indices (AIs) were determined by treating antigen-bound-Abs with different molar concentrations of NH4SCN and calculating 50% endpoints. RESULTS Total IgG and antigen-specific Abs increased in cord blood with gestational age; however, AIs did not. AIs in paired maternal-cord blood samples were strongly associated for all antigens (r = 0.77-0.96). However, no significant different in AIs was found between paired mother-cord blood samples for any of the antigens (p values > 0.05). Similarly, Ab avidity was not increased in cord blood of babies whose mothers had PM or hypergammaglobulinemia. DISCUSSION Overall, there was no evidence that higher avidity Abs to any of the malarial antigens or TTx were preferentially transferred to Cameroonian babies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander K K Kayatani
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Bioscience Building, Room 320, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA.
| | - Naveen Bobbili
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Bioscience Building, Room 320, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA.
| | - Rosette Megnekou
- The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé 1, BP 3851, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Masako Matsunaga
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Medical Education Building, Room 411, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA.
| | - Rose F G Leke
- The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé 1, BP 3851, Messa, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
| | - Diane Wallace Taylor
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 651 Ilalo Street, Bioscience Building, Room 320, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA.
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5
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Protecting the Offspring, the Gift of Maternal Immunization: Current Status and Future Perspectives. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10111953. [DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10111953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is characterized by immunological alterations in pregnant women that permit the growth of a semi-allogenic fetus, resulting in greater susceptibility of childbearing women to infections. Furthermore, due to the immaturity of the immune system of neonates, a protection gap is present in early life, leaving neonates and infants vulnerable to infectious diseases with increased morbidity and mortality. Maternal immunization against influenza, pertussis, and, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has been implemented in several countries, with beneficial effects on both the mother and the offspring. The main protective mechanism of vaccination during pregnancy is transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies. However, recent evidence has implied that the fetal immune system may be influenced beyond passive immunity. This review sheds light on the current status of the routinely administered vaccinations during pregnancy, focusing on the impact of maternal immunization on the priming of the fetal immune system and suggesting future perspectives for the optimization of vaccination strategies.
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6
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Sand KMK, Gruber MM, Sandlie I, Mathiesen L, Andersen JT, Wadsack C. Contribution of the ex vivo placental perfusion model in understanding transplacental immunoglobulin G transfer. Placenta 2022; 127:77-87. [PMID: 35981406 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The acquisition of humoral immunity in utero is essential for the fetus. The crucial protein, which is responsible for this part of immunity, is immunoglobulin-G (IgG). Immune functions of IgGs are mediated via the interaction of the crystallizable fragment (Fc) region of IgG with specific Fc γ receptors (FcγRs). However, an atypical FcγR, the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), is a key regulator of IgG transfer across the human placenta. During the last four decades ex vivo placental perfusion studies have contributed significantly to the study of mechanisms of IgG transfer across the multicellular placental barrier. METHOD A PubMed search was conducted by using specific keywords: placenta, perfusion and IgG to review manuscripts using human placental perfusion to study the transplacental transfer of IgG. Relevant studies found in reference lists of these manuscripts were also added to the review, and references were included that supported or gave nuance to the discussion of the mechanisms of IgG kinetics in the placenta. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION We found twenty publications on the study of transplacental transfer of IgG using human ex vivo placental perfusion, by research groups with partly different settings. This review summarizes knowledge about placental IgG transfer, with a strong focus on the contributions from ex vivo placental perfusion studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kine Marita Knudsen Sand
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0371, Oslo, Norway; Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, 0424, Oslo, Norway; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Michael M Gruber
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria
| | - Inger Sandlie
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0371, Oslo, Norway; Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, 0424, Oslo, Norway; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Line Mathiesen
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Jan Terje Andersen
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet and University of Oslo, 0424, Oslo, Norway; Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, 0424, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian Wadsack
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, Austria
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7
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Schneider H, Albrecht C, Ahmed MS, Broekhuizen M, Aengenheister L, Buerki-Thurnherr T, Danser AHJ, Gil S, Hansson SR, Greupink R, Lewis RM, Markert UR, Mathiesen L, Powles-Glover N, Wadsack C, Brownbill P. Ex vivo dual perfusion of an isolated human placenta cotyledon: Towards protocol standardization and improved inter-centre comparability. Placenta 2022; 126:83-89. [PMID: 35785693 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2022.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Since the full development of the ex vivo dual perfusion model of the human placenta cotyledon, the technique has provided essential insight into how nutrients, lipids, gases, immunoglobulins, endocrine agents, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, nanoparticles, micro-organisms and parasites might traverse the maternofetal barrier. Additionally, the model has been instrumental in gaining a better understanding of the regulation of vascular tone, endocrinology and metabolism within this organ. The human placenta is unique amongst species in its anatomy and transfer modalities. This orthologous diversity therefore requires an appropriate consideration of placental transfer rates of compounds, particles and micro-organisms specific to humans. Different research centres have adapted this model with a wide variation in perfusion parameters, including in the establishment of perfusion, perfusate composition, gassing regime, cannulation method, flow rates, perfused tissue mass, and also in the application of quality control measures. The requirement to harmonise and standardise perfusion practice between centres is largely driven by the need to obtain consistency in our understanding of placental function, but also in the qualification of the model for acceptance by regulatory agencies in drug and toxicology testing. A pilot study is proposed, aiming to describe how existing inter-centre variation in perfusion methodology affects placental metabolism, protein synthesis, oxygen consumption, the materno-fetal transfer of key molecular markers, and placental structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henning Schneider
- Dept. Obstetrics & Gynecology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Switzerland.
| | - Christiane Albrecht
- Institute of Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland; Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Mahmoud S Ahmed
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - Michelle Broekhuizen
- Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Leonie Aengenheister
- Particles-Biology Interactions, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
| | - Tina Buerki-Thurnherr
- Particles-Biology Interactions, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
| | - A H Jan Danser
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Sophie Gil
- University Paris Cité, Placentech®, Paris, F-75014, France.
| | - Stefan R Hansson
- Lund University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Rick Greupink
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | | | - Udo R Markert
- Department of Obstetrics, Placenta Lab, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
| | - Line Mathiesen
- Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | | | - Christian Wadsack
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Paul Brownbill
- Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester, UK; Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, UK.
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Understanding the Immune System in Fetal Protection and Maternal Infections during Pregnancy. J Immunol Res 2022; 2022:7567708. [PMID: 35785037 PMCID: PMC9249541 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7567708] [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: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The fetal-maternal immune system determines the fate of pregnancy. The trophoblast cells not only give an active response against external stimuli but are also involved in secreting most of the cytokines. These cells have an essential function in fetal acceptance or fetal rejection. Other immune cells also play a pivotal role in carrying out a successful pregnancy. The disruption in this mechanism may lead to harmful effects on pregnancy. The placenta serves as an immune barrier in fetus protection against invading pathogens. Once the infections prevail, they may localize in placental and fetal tissues, and the presence of inflammation due to cytokines may have detrimental effects on pregnancy. Moreover, some pathogens are responsible for congenital fetal anomalies and affect almost all organs of the developing fetus. This review article is designed to address the bacterial and viral infections that threaten pregnancy and their possible outcomes. Moreover, training of the fetal immune system against the exposure of infections and the role of CD49a + NK cells in embryonic development will also be highlighted.
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9
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Langerak T, Broekhuizen M, Unger PPA, Tan L, Koopmans M, van Gorp E, Danser AHJ, Rockx B. Transplacental Zika virus transmission in ex vivo perfused human placentas. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010359. [PMID: 35442976 PMCID: PMC9060339 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can result in severe birth defects such as microcephaly. To date, it is incompletely understood how ZIKV can cross the human placenta. Furthermore, results from studies in pregnant mice and non-human primates are conflicting regarding the role of cross-reactive dengue virus (DENV) antibodies on transplacental ZIKV transmission. Elucidating how ZIKV can cross the placenta and which risk factors contribute to this is important for risk assessment and for potential intervention strategies for transplacental ZIKV transmission. In this study we use an ex vivo human placental perfusion model to study transplacental ZIKV transmission and the effect that cross-reactive DENV antibodies have on this transmission. By using this model, we demonstrate that DENV antibodies significantly increase ZIKV uptake in perfused human placentas and that this increased uptake is neonatal Fc-receptor-dependent. Furthermore, we show that cross-reactive DENV antibodies enhance ZIKV infection in term human placental explants and in primary fetal macrophages but not in primary trophoblasts. Our data supports the hypothesis that presence of cross-reactive DENV antibodies could be an important risk factor for transplacental ZIKV transmission. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the ex vivo placental perfusion model is a relevant and animal friendly model to study transplacental pathogen transmission. Zika virus is a mosquito-transmitted virus that can cause severe birth defects such as microcephaly when the infection occurs during pregnancy. Understanding how Zika virus crosses the placenta during pregnancy is important for future prevention strategies for vertical Zika virus transmission. Despite significant efforts to study this, to date it remains incompletely understood how Zika virus can cross the placenta and which risk factors contribute to this form of transmission. In this study we use an ex vivo placental perfusion model to study transplacental Zika virus transmission. The ex vivo placental perfusion model is a highly physiological and animal friendly model that mimics the in vivo conditions during pregnancy. We found that antibodies against the closely related dengue virus can significantly enhance placental uptake of Zika virus and Zika virus infection of human placental explants and fetal macrophages. These findings indicate that presence of cross-reactive dengue virus antibodies could contribute to transplacental Zika virus transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Langerak
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle Broekhuizen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Lunbo Tan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marion Koopmans
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Eric van Gorp
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - A. H. Jan Danser
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pharmacology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Barry Rockx
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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10
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Fakonti G, Pantazi P, Bokun V, Holder B. Placental Macrophage (Hofbauer Cell) Responses to Infection During Pregnancy: A Systematic Scoping Review. Front Immunol 2022; 12:756035. [PMID: 35250964 PMCID: PMC8895398 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.756035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital infection of the fetus via trans-placental passage of pathogens can result in severe morbidity and mortality. Even without transmission to the fetus, infection of the placenta itself is associated with pregnancy complications including pregnancy loss and preterm birth. Placental macrophages, also termed Hofbauer cells (HBCs), are fetal-origin macrophages residing in the placenta that are likely involved in responding to placental infection and protection of the developing fetus. As HBCs are the only immune cell present in the villous placenta, they represent one of the final opportunities for control of infection and prevention of passage to the developing fetus. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of this review was to provide a systematic overview of the literature regarding HBC responses during infection in pregnancy, including responses to viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens. METHODS PubMed and Scopus were searched on May 20th, 2021, with no limit on publication date, to identify all papers that have studied placental macrophages/Hofbauer cells in the context of infection. The following search strategy was utilized: (hofbauer* OR "hofbauer cells" OR "hofbauer cell" OR "placental macrophage" OR "placental macrophages") AND [infect* OR virus OR viral OR bacteri* OR parasite* OR pathogen* OR LPS OR "poly(i:c)" OR toxoplasm* OR microb* OR HIV)]. OUTCOMES 86 studies were identified for review. This included those that investigated HBCs in placentas from pregnancies complicated by maternal infection and in vitro studies investigating HBC responses to pathogens or Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs). HBCs can be infected by a variety of pathogens, and HBC hyperplasia was a common observation. HBCs respond to pathogen infection and PAMPs by altering their transcriptional, translational and secretion profiles. Co-culture investigations demonstrate that they can replicate and transmit pathogens to other cells. In other cases, they may eliminate the pathogen through a variety of mechanisms including phagocytosis, cytokine-mediated pathogen elimination, release of macrophage extracellular traps and HBC-antibody-mediated neutralization. HBC responses differ across gestation and may be influenced by pre-existing immunity. Clinical information, including gestational age at infection, gestational age of the samples, mode of sample collection and pregnancy outcome were missing for the majority of studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Beth Holder
- Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Rice TF, Diavatopoulos DA, Guo Y, Donaldson B, Bouqueau M, Bosanquet A, Barnett S, Holder B, Kampmann B. Modification of innate immune responses to Bordetella pertussis in babies from pertussis vaccinated pregnancies. EBioMedicine 2021; 72:103612. [PMID: 34649076 PMCID: PMC8517834 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis, inactivated polio (Tdap-IPV) vaccines administered during pregnancy protect young infants from Bordetella pertussis (B. pertussis) infection. Whilst the impact of maternal Tdap-IPV vaccination on infants' humoral response to subsequent pertussis immunisation has been investigated, little is known about any impact on innate responses. METHODS We investigated the immune response to B. pertussis in mothers and infants from Tdap-IPV-vaccinated and unvaccinated pregnancies, utilising a whole blood assay and flow cytometric phenotyping of neonatal natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes and dendritic cells. Blood was collected from mother and umbilical cord at birth, and from infants at seven weeks (one week pre-primary pertussis immunisation) and five months of age (one month post-primary pertussis immunisation). 21 mothers and 67 infants were studied. FINDINGS Vaccinated women had elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine responses to B. pertussis. At birth, babies of vaccinated women had elevated IL-2 and IL-12 responses, elevated classical monocyte proportions, and reduced monocyte and NK cell cytokine responses. The elevated IL-2 response persisted to seven weeks-of-age, when lower IL-10 and IL-13 responses were also seen. One-month post-primary pertussis vaccination, infants from vaccinated pregnancies still had lower IL-10 responses to B. pertussis, as well as lower IL-4. INTERPRETATION This study suggests that pertussis vaccination during pregnancy impacts infant cellular immune responses, potentially contributing to the modification of antibody responses already reported following primary immunisation against B. pertussis. FUNDING National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre and IMmunising PRegnant women and INfants neTwork (funded by the GCRF Networks in Vaccines R&D).
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas F Rice
- Department of Metabolism, Development and Reproduction (MDR), Lecturer in Maternal and Fetal Health, Imperial College London, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB), Hammersmith Campus, London W12 0HS, UK; Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Dimitri A Diavatopoulos
- Section Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Yanping Guo
- National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), Imperial College London, UK
| | - Beverly Donaldson
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Marielle Bouqueau
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Anna Bosanquet
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Sara Barnett
- Department of Metabolism, Development and Reproduction (MDR), Lecturer in Maternal and Fetal Health, Imperial College London, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB), Hammersmith Campus, London W12 0HS, UK
| | - Beth Holder
- Department of Metabolism, Development and Reproduction (MDR), Lecturer in Maternal and Fetal Health, Imperial College London, Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology (IRDB), Hammersmith Campus, London W12 0HS, UK; Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK.
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Section of Paediatrics, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, UK; The Vaccine Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK; Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Gambia
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12
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Callaway PC, Farrington LA, Feeney ME. Malaria and Early Life Immunity: Competence in Context. Front Immunol 2021; 12:634749. [PMID: 33679787 PMCID: PMC7933008 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.634749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Childhood vaccines have been the cornerstone tool of public health over the past century. A major barrier to neonatal vaccination is the “immaturity” of the infant immune system and the inefficiency of conventional vaccine approaches at inducing immunity at birth. While much of the literature on fetal and neonatal immunity has focused on the early life propensity toward immune tolerance, recent studies indicate that the fetus is more immunologically capable than previously thought, and can, in some circumstances, mount adaptive B and T cell responses to perinatal pathogens in utero. Although significant hurdles remain before these findings can be translated into vaccines and other protective strategies, they should lend optimism to the prospect that neonatal and even fetal vaccination is achievable. Next steps toward this goal should include efforts to define the conditions for optimal stimulation of infant immune responses, including antigen timing, dose, and route of delivery, as well as antigen presentation pathways and co-stimulatory requirements. A better understanding of these factors will enable optimal deployment of vaccines against malaria and other pathogens to protect infants during their period of greatest vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perri C Callaway
- Infectious Diseases and Immunity Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States.,Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Lila A Farrington
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Margaret E Feeney
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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13
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Cinicola B, Conti MG, Terrin G, Sgrulletti M, Elfeky R, Carsetti R, Fernandez Salinas A, Piano Mortari E, Brindisi G, De Curtis M, Zicari AM, Moschese V, Duse M. The Protective Role of Maternal Immunization in Early Life. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:638871. [PMID: 33996688 PMCID: PMC8113393 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.638871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
With birth, the newborn is transferred from a quasi-sterile environment to the outside world. At this time, the neonatal immune system is inexperienced and continuously subject to a process of development as it encounters different antigenic stimuli after birth. It is initially characterized by a bias toward T helper 2 phenotype, reduced T helper 1, and cytotoxic responses to microbial stimuli, low levels of memory, and effector T and B cells and a high production of suppressive T regulatory cells. The aim of this setting, during fetal life, is to maintain an anti-inflammatory state and immune-tolerance. Maternal antibodies are transferred during pregnancy through the placenta and, in the first weeks of life of the newborn, they represent a powerful tool for protection. Thus, optimization of vaccination in pregnancy represents an important strategy to reduce the burden of neonatal infections and sepsis. Beneficial effects of maternal immunization are universally recognized, although the optimal timing of vaccination in pregnancy remains to be defined. Interestingly, the dynamic exchange that takes place at the fetal-maternal interface allows the transfer not only of antibodies, but also of maternal antigen presenting cells, probably in order to stimulate the developing fetal immune system in a harmless way. There are still controversial effects related to maternal immunization including the so called "immunology blunting," i.e., a dampened antibody production following infant's vaccination in those infants who received placentally transferred maternal immunity. However, clinical relevance of this phenomenon is still not clear. This review will provide an overview of the evolution of the immune system in early life and discuss the benefits of maternal vaccination. Current maternal vaccination policies and their rationale will be summarized on the road to promising approaches to enhance immunity in the neonate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Cinicola
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Giulia Conti
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianluca Terrin
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mayla Sgrulletti
- Pediatric Immunopathology and Allergology Unit, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Ph.D. Program in Immunology, Molecular Medicine and Applied Biotechnology, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Reem Elfeky
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Royal Free Hospital, London, United Kingdom.,Infection, Immunity & Inflammation Department, Institute of Child Health, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom
| | - Rita Carsetti
- Diagnostic Immunology Research Unit, Multimodal Medicine Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.,Microbiology and Diagnostic Immunology Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ane Fernandez Salinas
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Diagnostic Immunology Research Unit, Multimodal Medicine Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Eva Piano Mortari
- Diagnostic Immunology Research Unit, Multimodal Medicine Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Brindisi
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario De Curtis
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Zicari
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Moschese
- Pediatric Immunopathology and Allergology Unit, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.,Department Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Marzia Duse
- Department of Maternal and Child Health and Urological Sciences, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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14
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Saso A, Kampmann B. Maternal Immunization: Nature Meets Nurture. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1499. [PMID: 32849319 PMCID: PMC7396522 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccinating women in pregnancy (i.e., maternal immunization) has emerged as a promising tool to tackle infant morbidity and mortality worldwide. This approach nurtures a 'gift of nature,' whereby antibody is transferred from mother to fetus transplacentally during pregnancy, or postnatally in breast milk, thereby providing passive, antigen-specific protection against infections in the first few months of life, a period of increased immune vulnerability for the infant. In this review, we briefly summarize the rationale for maternal immunization programs and the landscape of vaccines currently in use or in the pipeline. We then direct the focus to the underlying biological phenomena, including the main mechanisms by which maternally derived antibody is transferred efficiently to the infant, at the placental interface or in breast milk; important research models and methodological approaches to interrogate these processes, particularly in the context of recent advances in systems vaccinology; the potential biological and clinical impact of high maternal antibody titres on neonatal ontogeny and subsequent infant vaccine responses; and key vaccine- and host-related factors influencing the maternal-infant dyad across different environments. Finally, we outline important gaps in knowledge and suggest future avenues of research on this topic, proposing potential strategies to ensure optimal testing, delivery and implementation of maternal vaccination programs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Saso
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Banjul, Gambia
| | - Beate Kampmann
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
- Vaccines and Immunity Theme, MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Banjul, Gambia
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15
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Apostol AC, Jensen KDC, Beaudin AE. Training the Fetal Immune System Through Maternal Inflammation-A Layered Hygiene Hypothesis. Front Immunol 2020; 11:123. [PMID: 32117273 PMCID: PMC7026678 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last century, the alarming surge in allergy and autoimmune disease has led to the hypothesis that decreasing exposure to microbes, which has accompanied industrialization and modern life in the Western world, has fundamentally altered the immune response. In its current iteration, the “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that reduced microbial exposures during early life restricts the production and differentiation of immune cells suited for immune regulation. Although it is now well-appreciated that the increase in hypersensitivity disorders represents a “perfect storm” of many contributing factors, we argue here that two important considerations have rarely been explored. First, the window of microbial exposure that impacts immune development is not limited to early childhood, but likely extends into the womb. Second, restricted microbial interactions by an expectant mother will bias the fetal immune system toward hypersensitivity. Here, we extend this discussion to hypothesize that the cell types sensing microbial exposures include fetal hematopoietic stem cells, which drive long-lasting changes to immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- April C Apostol
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
| | - Kirk D C Jensen
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
| | - Anna E Beaudin
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
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16
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Odorizzi PM, Jagannathan P, McIntyre TI, Budker R, Prahl M, Auma A, Burt TD, Nankya F, Nalubega M, Sikyomu E, Musinguzi K, Naluwu K, Kakuru A, Dorsey G, Kamya MR, Feeney ME. In utero priming of highly functional effector T cell responses to human malaria. Sci Transl Med 2019; 10:10/463/eaat6176. [PMID: 30333241 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat6176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in infants and children. Some studies have reported that exposure to malaria antigens in utero results in the development of tolerance, which could contribute to poor immunity to malaria in early life. However, the effector T cell response to pathogen-derived antigens encountered in utero, including malaria, has not been well characterized. Here, we assessed the frequency, phenotype, and function of cord blood T cells from Ugandan infants born to mothers with and without placental malaria. We found that infants born to mothers with active placental malaria had elevated frequencies of proliferating effector memory fetal CD4+ T cells and higher frequencies of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells that produced inflammatory cytokines. Fetal CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from placental malaria-exposed infants exhibited greater in vitro proliferation to malaria antigens. Malaria-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation correlated with prospective protection from malaria during childhood. These data demonstrate that placental malaria is associated with the generation of proinflammatory malaria-responsive fetal T cells. These findings add to our current understanding of fetal immunity and indicate that a functional and protective pathogen-specific T cell response can be generated in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela M Odorizzi
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | | | - Tara I McIntyre
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | - Rachel Budker
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | - Mary Prahl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
| | - Ann Auma
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Trevor D Burt
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA.,Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | | | - Esther Sikyomu
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | | | - Kate Naluwu
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Abel Kakuru
- Infectious Disease Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Grant Dorsey
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA
| | - Moses R Kamya
- School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Margaret E Feeney
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110 USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
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17
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Feeney ME. The immune response to malaria in utero. Immunol Rev 2019; 293:216-229. [PMID: 31553066 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Malaria causes tremendous early childhood morbidity and mortality, providing an urgent impetus for the development of a vaccine that is effective in neonates. However, the infant immune response to malaria may be influenced by events that occur well before birth. Placental malaria infection complicates one quarter of all pregnancies in Africa and frequently results in exposure of the fetus to malaria antigens in utero, while the immune system is still developing. Some data suggest that in utero exposure to malaria may induce immunologic tolerance that interferes with the development of protective immunity during childhood. More recently, however, a growing body of evidence suggests that fetal malaria exposure can prime highly functional malaria-specific T- and B-cells, which may contribute to postnatal protection from malaria. In utero exposure to malaria also impacts the activation and maturation of fetal antigen presenting cells and innate lymphocytes, which could have implications for global immunity in the infant. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of how various components of the fetal immune system are altered by in utero exposure to malaria, discuss factors that may tilt the critical balance between tolerance and adaptive immunity, and consider the implications of these findings for malaria prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret E Feeney
- Departments of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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18
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Pyzik M, Sand KMK, Hubbard JJ, Andersen JT, Sandlie I, Blumberg RS. The Neonatal Fc Receptor (FcRn): A Misnomer? Front Immunol 2019; 10:1540. [PMID: 31354709 PMCID: PMC6636548 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.01540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are essential components of an adaptive immune response. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) is the most common type of antibody found in circulation and extracellular fluids. Although IgG alone can directly protect the body from infection through the activities of its antigen binding region, the majority of IgG immune functions are mediated via proteins and receptors expressed by specialized cell subsets that bind to the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of IgG. Fc gamma (γ) receptors (FcγR) belong to a broad family of proteins that presently include classical membrane-bound surface receptors as well as atypical intracellular receptors and cytoplasmic glycoproteins. Among the atypical FcγRs, the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) has increasingly gained notoriety given its intimate influence on IgG biology and its ability to also bind to albumin. FcRn functions as a recycling or transcytosis receptor that is responsible for maintaining IgG and albumin in the circulation, and bidirectionally transporting these two ligands across polarized cellular barriers. More recently, it has been appreciated that FcRn acts as an immune receptor by interacting with and facilitating antigen presentation of peptides derived from IgG immune complexes (IC). Here we review FcRn biology and focus on newer advances including how emerging FcRn-targeted therapies may affect the immune responses to IgG and IgG IC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Pyzik
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kine M K Sand
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jonathan J Hubbard
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jan Terje Andersen
- Department of Immunology, Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.,Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Inger Sandlie
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Richard S Blumberg
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Harvard Digestive Diseases Center, Boston, MA, United States
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19
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Al-Sowayan B, Keogh RJ, Abumaree M, Georgiou HM, Kalionis B. An ex vivo human placental vessel perfusion method to study mesenchymal stem/stromal cell migration. Stem Cell Investig 2019; 6:2. [PMID: 30842969 DOI: 10.21037/sci.2018.12.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Background To initiate tissue repair, mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) must enter the blood stream, migrate to the targeted area, cross the endothelial barrier and home to the damaged tissue. This process is not yet fully understood in humans and thus, the aim of this study was to develop an ex vivo placental vessel perfusion method to examine human MSC movement from a blood vessel into human tissue. This will provide a better understanding of MSC migration, movement through the endothelial barrier and engraftment into target tissue, in a setting that more closely represents the in vivo state, compared with conventional in vitro human cell culture models. Moreover, important similarities and differences to animal experimental model systems may be revealed by this method. Methods Human placental hTERT transformed MSC lines were labelled with live-cell fluorescence dyes, and then perfused into term human placental blood vessel. After labelled MSCs were perfused into the vessel, the vessel was dissected from the placenta and incubated at cell growth conditions. Following incubation, the vessel was washed thoroughly to remove unattached, labelled MSCs and then snap frozen for sectioning. After sectioning, immunofluorescence staining of the endothelium was carried out to detect if labelled MSCs crossed the endothelial barrier. Results Twelve placental vessel perfusions were successfully completed. In eight of the twelve perfused vessels, qualitative assessment of immunofluorescence in sections (n=20, 5 µm sections/vessel) revealed labelled MSCs had crossed the endothelial barrier. Conclusions The human placental ex vivo vessel perfusion method could be used to assess human MSC migration into human tissue. Cells of the MSC lines were able to adhere and transmigrate through the endothelial barrier in a manner similar to that of leukocytes. Notably, cells that transmigrated remained in close proximity to the endothelium, which is consistent with the reported MSC vascular niche in placental blood vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balta Al-Sowayan
- Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rosemary J Keogh
- Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Mohammed Abumaree
- Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia.,College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh 11481, Saudi Arabia
| | - Harry M Georgiou
- Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Bill Kalionis
- Pregnancy Research Centre, Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,University of Melbourne Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
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20
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Harrington WE, Kakuru A, Jagannathan P. Malaria in pregnancy shapes the development of foetal and infant immunity. Parasite Immunol 2018; 41:e12573. [PMID: 30019470 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Malaria, particularly Plasmodium falciparum, continues to disproportionately affect pregnant women. In addition to the profoundly deleterious impact of maternal malaria on the health of the mother and foetus, malaria infection in pregnancy has been shown to affect the development of the foetal and infant immune system and may alter the risk of malaria and nonmalarial outcomes during infancy. This review summarizes our current understanding of how malaria infection in pregnancy shapes the protective components of the maternal immune system transferred to the foetus and how foetal exposure to parasite antigens impacts the development of foetal and infant immunity. It also reviews existing evidence linking malaria infection in pregnancy to malaria and nonmalarial outcomes in infancy and how preventing malaria in pregnancy may alter these outcomes. A better understanding of the consequences of malaria infection in pregnancy on the development of foetal and infant immunity will inform control strategies, including intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney E Harrington
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington/Seattle Children's Hospital, Seattle, Washington
| | - Abel Kakuru
- Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration, Kampala, Uganda
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21
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Wilcox CR, Jones CE. Beyond Passive Immunity: Is There Priming of the Fetal Immune System Following Vaccination in Pregnancy and What Are the Potential Clinical Implications? Front Immunol 2018; 9:1548. [PMID: 30061881 PMCID: PMC6054988 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection is responsible for over half a million neonatal deaths worldwide every year, and vaccination in pregnancy is becoming increasingly recognized as an important strategy for the protection of young infants. Increasing evidence suggests that exposure to maternal infection in utero may "prime" the developing immune system, even in the absence of infant infection. It is also possible that in utero priming may occur following maternal vaccination, with antigen-specific cellular immune responses detectable in utero and at birth. However, this remains a topic of some controversy. This review focuses on the evidence for in utero priming and the clinical implications for vaccination in pregnancy, considering whether in utero priming following vaccination could provide protection independent of antibody-mediated passive immunity, the possible effects of vaccination on subsequent infant vaccinations, their potential "non-specific" effects, and how the design and timing of vaccination might affect prenatal priming. Looking forward, we describe other possible options for quantifying antigen-specific cellular responses, including MHC tetramers, novel proliferation and cytokine-based assays, and animal models. Together, these may help us address future research questions and establish more robust evidence of fetal immune system priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Wilcox
- NIHR Clinical Research Facility, Southampton Centre for Biomedical Research, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Christine E. Jones
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
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22
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Jennewein MF, Abu-Raya B, Jiang Y, Alter G, Marchant A. Transfer of maternal immunity and programming of the newborn immune system. Semin Immunopathol 2017; 39:605-613. [PMID: 28971246 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-017-0653-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As placental mammals, the pregnant women and the fetus have intense and prolonged interactions during gestation. There is increasing evidence that multiple molecular as well as cellular components originating in pregnant women are transferred to the fetus. The transfer of maternal antibodies has long been recognized as a central component of newborn immunity against pathogens. More recent studies indicate that inflammatory mediators, micronutrients, microbial products and maternal cells are transferred in utero and influence the fetal immune system. Together, these multiple signals are likely to form a complex network of interactions that program the neonatal immune system and tune its homeostatic regulation. Maternal disorders, in particular infectious diseases, modify these signals and may thereby alter immunity in early life. Understanding maternal programming of the newborn immune system could provide a basis for interventions promoting child health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bahaa Abu-Raya
- Vaccine Evaluation Center, BC Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Yiwei Jiang
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Rue Adrienne Bolland 8, 6041 Gosselies, Charleroi, Belgium
| | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Arnaud Marchant
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Rue Adrienne Bolland 8, 6041 Gosselies, Charleroi, Belgium.
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Tassi Yunga S, Kayatani AK, Fogako J, Leke RJI, Leke RGF, Taylor DW. Timing of the human prenatal antibody response to Plasmodium falciparum antigens. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184571. [PMID: 28950009 PMCID: PMC5614534 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum (Pf)-specific T- and B-cell responses may be present at birth; however, when during fetal development antibodies are produced is unknown. Accordingly, cord blood samples from 232 preterm (20–37 weeks of gestation) and 450 term (≥37 weeks) babies were screened for IgM to Pf blood-stage antigens MSP1, MSP2, AMA1, EBA175 and RESA. Overall, 25% [95% CI = 22–28%] of the 682 newborns were positive for IgM to ≥1 Pf antigens with the earliest response occurring at 22 weeks. Interestingly, the odds of being positive for cord blood Pf IgM decreased with gestational age (adjusted OR [95% CI] at 20–31 weeks = 2.55 [1.14–5.85] and at 32–36 weeks = 1.97 [0.92–4.29], with ≥37 weeks as reference); however, preterm and term newborns had similar levels of Pf IgM and recognized a comparable breadth of antigens. Having cord blood Pf IgM was associated with placental malaria (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 2.37 [1.25–4.54]). To determine if in utero exposure occurred via transplacental transfer of Pf-IgG immune complexes (IC), IC containing MSP1 and MSP2 were measured in plasma of 242 mother-newborn pairs. Among newborns of IC-positive mothers (77/242), the proportion of cord samples with Pf IC increased with gestational age but was not associated with Pf IgM, suggesting that fetal B cells early in gestation had not been primed by IC. Finally, when cord mononuclear cells from 64 term newborns were cultured in vitro, only 11% (7/64) of supernatants had Pf IgM; whereas, 95% (61/64) contained secreted Pf IgG. These data suggest fetal B cells are capable of making Pf-specific IgM from early in the second trimester and undergo isotype switching to IgG towards term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Tassi Yunga
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Alexander K. Kayatani
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
| | - Josephine Fogako
- The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Robert J. I. Leke
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Rose G. F. Leke
- The Biotechnology Center, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Diane W. Taylor
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology and Pharmacology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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24
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Happle C, Jirmo AC, Meyer-Bahlburg A, Habener A, Hoymann HG, Hennig C, Skuljec J, Hansen G. B cells control maternofetal priming of allergy and tolerance in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017; 141:685-696.e6. [PMID: 28601684 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.03.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2016] [Revised: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Allergic asthma is a chronic lung disease resulting from inappropriate immune responses to environmental antigens. Early tolerance induction is an attractive approach for primary prevention of asthma. OBJECTIVE We analyzed the mechanisms of perinatal tolerance induction to allergens, with particular focus on the role of B cells in preconception and early intrauterine immune priming. METHODS Wild-type (WT) and B cell-deficient mice received ovalbumin (OVA) intranasally before mating. Their offspring were analyzed in a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. RESULTS Although antigen application before conception protected WT progeny from allergy, it aggravated allergic airway inflammation in B cell-deficient offspring. B-cell transfer restored protection, demonstrating the crucial role of B cells in perinatal tolerance induction. Effective diaplacentar allergen transfer was detectable in pregnant WT mice but not in pregnant B-cell knockout dams, and antigen concentrations in WT amniotic fluid (AF) were higher than in IgG-free AF of B cell-deficient dams. Application of OVA/IgG immune complexes during pregnancy boosted OVA uptake by fetal dendritic cells (DCs). Fetal DCs in human subjects and mice expressed strikingly higher levels of Fcγ receptors compared with DCs from adults and were highly efficient in taking up OVA/IgG immune complexes. Moreover, murine fetal DCs effectively primed antigen-specific forkhead box P3+ regulatory T cells after in vitro coincubation with OVA/IgG-containing AF. CONCLUSION Our data support a decisive role for B cells and immunoglobulins during in utero tolerance priming. These findings improve the understanding of perinatal immunity and might support the development of effective primary prevention strategies for allergy and asthma in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Happle
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Adan Chari Jirmo
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Almut Meyer-Bahlburg
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Anika Habener
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Heinz Gerd Hoymann
- Working Group for Airway Pharmacology, Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Hennig
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
| | - Jelena Skuljec
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Gesine Hansen
- Department of Pediatric Pneumology, Allergology and Neonatology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease (BREATH), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany.
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25
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Maternal house dust mite exposure during pregnancy enhances severity of house dust mite-induced asthma in murine offspring. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017; 140:1404-1415.e9. [PMID: 28192144 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2016.12.972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Atopic status of the mother and maternal exposure to environmental factors are associated with increased asthma risk. Moreover, animal models demonstrate that exposure to allergens in strongly sensitized mothers influences offspring asthma development, suggesting that in utero exposures can influence offspring asthma. However, it is unclear whether maternal exposure to common human allergens such as house dust mite (HDM), in the absence of additional adjuvants, influences offspring asthma development. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine whether maternal HDM exposure influences asthma development in offspring. METHODS Pregnant female mice were exposed to PBS or HDM during pregnancy. Using offspring of PBS- or HDM-exposed mothers, the magnitude of HDM or Aspergillus fumigatus (AF) extract-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), airway inflammation, immunoglobulin production, TH2-associated cytokine synthesis, and pulmonary dendritic cell activity was assessed. RESULTS Compared with offspring of PBS-exposed mothers, offspring of HDM-exposed mothers demonstrate increased AHR, airway inflammation, TH2 cytokine production, and immunoglobulin levels and a modest decrease in the phagocytic capacity of pulmonary macrophage populations following HDM exposure. Increased sensitivity to AF-induced airway disease was not observed. Offspring of HDM-exposed B-cell-deficient mothers also demonstrated increased HDM-induced AHR, suggesting that transfer of maternal immunoglobulins is not required. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrate that maternal exposure to HDM during pregnancy increases asthma sensitivity in offspring in an HDM-specific manner, suggesting that vertical transmission of maternal immune responses may be involved. These findings have important implications for regulation of asthma risk, and suggest that exposure to HDM in the developed world may have underappreciated influences on the overall prevalence of allergic asthma.
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26
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Abstract
Helminths are parasitic nematodes and trematodes, grouped together because of morphological similarities and commonalities in the effects infections have on hosts. These include complications such as anemia and biasing of immune responses, which can alter susceptibility for other diseases. For pregnant women, these complications might have implications for pregnancy outcomes or neonatal health. Here, I review studies of helminth infections during pregnancy, and ask the following questions: Do helminths affect maternal health or pregnancy outcomes? Are there consequences of maternal infection for infants? What are the effects of antihelminth treatment during pregnancy? The evidence suggests that the answers to these questions depend on the particular helminth species in question, maternal nutritional status, and the presence or absence of comorbid infection with other species, such as malaria. Moreover, there may also be unexpected consequences of treatment, as maternal infections can affect the priming of infant immune systems, with potential effects on infants later in life. These complex interactions suggest that a consideration of the evolutionary history of human–helminth interactions, as well as the ecological context of infections, can help to clarify an understanding of these host–parasite interactions and provide direction for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron D Blackwell
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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27
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Odorizzi PM, Feeney ME. Impact of In Utero Exposure to Malaria on Fetal T Cell Immunity. Trends Mol Med 2016; 22:877-888. [PMID: 27614925 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2016.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Pregnancy-associated malaria, including placental malaria, causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recently, it has been suggested that in utero exposure of the fetus to malaria antigens may negatively impact the developing immune system and result in tolerance to malaria. Here, we review our current knowledge of fetal immunity to malaria, focusing on the dynamic interactions between maternal malaria infection, placental development, and the fetal immune system. A better understanding of the long-term impact of in utero malaria exposure on the development of natural immunity to malaria, immune responses to other childhood pathogens, and vaccine immunogenicity is urgently needed. This may guide the implementation of novel chemoprevention strategies during pregnancy and facilitate the push toward malaria vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela M Odorizzi
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Margaret E Feeney
- Department of Medicine, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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28
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Pehrson C, Mathiesen L, Heno KK, Salanti A, Resende M, Dzikowski R, Damm P, Hansson SR, King CL, Schneider H, Wang CW, Lavstsen T, Theander TG, Knudsen LE, Nielsen MA. Adhesion of Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes in ex vivo perfused placental tissue: a novel model of placental malaria. Malar J 2016; 15:292. [PMID: 27230523 PMCID: PMC4881162 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1342-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Placental malaria occurs when Plasmodium falciparum infected erythrocytes sequester in the placenta. Placental parasite isolates bind to chondroitin sulphate A (CSA) by expression of VAR2CSA on the surface of infected erythrocytes, but may sequester by other VAR2CSA mediated mechanisms, such as binding to immunoglobulins. Furthermore, other parasite antigens have been associated with placental malaria. These findings have important implications for placental malaria vaccine design. The objective of this study was to adapt and describe a biologically relevant model of parasite adhesion in intact placental tissue. Results The ex vivo placental perfusion model was modified to study adhesion of infected erythrocytes binding to CSA, endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) or a transgenic parasite where P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 expression had been shut down. Infected erythrocytes expressing VAR2CSA accumulated in perfused placental tissue whereas the EPCR binding and the transgenic parasite did not. Soluble CSA and antibodies specific against VAR2CSA inhibited binding of infected erythrocytes. Conclusion The ex vivo model provides a novel way of studying receptor-ligand interactions and antibody mediated inhibition of binding in placental malaria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1342-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Pehrson
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Line Mathiesen
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristine K Heno
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ali Salanti
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mafalda Resende
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ron Dzikowski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Peter Damm
- Department of Obstetrics, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Stefan R Hansson
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Christopher L King
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, USA
| | - Henning Schneider
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christian W Wang
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Lavstsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thor G Theander
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lisbeth E Knudsen
- Section of Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten A Nielsen
- Centre for Medical Parasitology at Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and at Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark.
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29
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Charnaud SC, McGready R, Herten-Crabb A, Powell R, Guy A, Langer C, Richards JS, Gilson PR, Chotivanich K, Tsuboi T, Narum DL, Pimanpanarak M, Simpson JA, Beeson JG, Nosten F, Fowkes FJI. Maternal-foetal transfer of Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax antibodies in a low transmission setting. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20859. [PMID: 26861682 PMCID: PMC4748262 DOI: 10.1038/srep20859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
During pregnancy immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are transferred from mother to neonate across the placenta. Studies in high transmission areas have shown transfer of P. falciparum-specific IgG, but the extent and factors influencing maternal-foetal transfer in low transmission areas co-endemic for both P. falciparum and P. vivax are unknown. Pregnant women were screened weekly for Plasmodium infection. Mother-neonate paired serum samples at delivery were tested for IgG to antigens from P. falciparum, P. vivax and other infectious diseases. Antibodies to malarial and non-malarial antigens were highly correlated between maternal and neonatal samples (median [range] spearman ρ = 0.78 [0.57-0.93]), although Plasmodium spp. antibodies tended to be lower in neonates than mothers. Estimated gestational age at last P. falciparum infection, but not P. vivax infection, was positively associated with antibody levels in the neonate (P. falciparum merozoite, spearman ρ median [range] 0.42 [0.33-0.66], PfVAR2CSA 0.69; P. vivax ρ = 0.19 [0.09-0.3]). Maternal-foetal transfer of anti-malarial IgG to Plasmodium spp. antigens occurs in low transmission settings. P. vivax IgG acquisition is not associated with recent exposure unlike P. falciparum IgG, suggesting a difference in acquisition of antibodies. IgG transfer is greatest in the final weeks of pregnancy which has implications for the timing of future malaria vaccination strategies in pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C Charnaud
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rose McGready
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Asha Herten-Crabb
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Rosanna Powell
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Andrew Guy
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Immunology, Monash University, Alfred Medical Research and Education Precinct, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Christine Langer
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Jack S Richards
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
| | - Takafumi Tsuboi
- Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | - David L Narum
- Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology, NIAID/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mupawjay Pimanpanarak
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand
| | - Julie A Simpson
- Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - James G Beeson
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot, Thailand.,Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.,Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Freya J I Fowkes
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia.,Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Infectious Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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30
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Bundhoo A, Paveglio S, Rafti E, Dhongade A, Blumberg RS, Matson AP. Evidence that FcRn mediates the transplacental passage of maternal IgE in the form of IgG anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes. Clin Exp Allergy 2016; 45:1085-98. [PMID: 25652137 PMCID: PMC4437844 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Revised: 12/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanism(s) responsible for acquisition of maternal antibody isotypes other than IgG are not fully understood. This uncertainty is a major reason underlying the continued controversy regarding whether cord blood (CB) IgE originates in the mother or fetus. OBJECTIVE To investigate the capacity of maternal IgE to be transported across the placenta in the form of IgG anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes (ICs) and to determine the role of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) in mediating this process. METHODS Maternal and CB serum concentrations of IgE, IgG anti-IgE, and IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs were determined in a cohort of allergic and non-allergic mother/infant dyads. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells stably transfected with human FcRn were used to study the binding and transcytosis of IgE in the form of IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs. RESULTS Maternal and CB serum concentrations of IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs were highly correlated, regardless of maternal allergic status. IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs generated in vitro bound strongly to FcRn-expressing MDCK cells and were transcytosed in an FcRn-dependent manner. Conversely, monomeric IgE did not bind to FcRn and was not transcytosed. IgE was detected in solutions of transcytosed IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs, even though essentially all the IgE remained in complex form. Similarly, the majority of IgE in CB sera was found to be complexed to IgG. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These data indicate that human FcRn facilitates the transepithelial transport of IgE in the form of IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs. They also strongly suggest that the majority of IgE in CB sera is the result of FcRn-mediated transcytosis of maternal-derived IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs. These findings challenge the widespread perception that maternal IgE does not cross the placenta. Measuring maternal or CB levels of IgG anti-IgE/IgE ICs may be a more accurate predictor of allergic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bundhoo
- Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - S Paveglio
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - E Rafti
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - A Dhongade
- Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - R S Blumberg
- Division of Gastroenterology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A P Matson
- Division of Neonatology, Connecticut Children's Medical Center, Hartford, CT, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.,Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
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31
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Abstract
Malaria is one of the most serious infectious diseases with most of the severe disease
caused by Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). Naturally acquired immunity
develops over time after repeated infections and the development of antimalarial
antibodies is thought to play a crucial role. Neonates and young infants are relatively
protected from symptomatic malaria through mechanisms that are poorly understood. The
prevailing paradigm is that maternal antimalarial antibodies transferred to the fetus in
the last trimester of pregnancy protect the infant from early infections. These
antimalarial antibodies wane by approximately 6 months of age leaving the infant
vulnerable to malaria, however direct evidence supporting this epidemiologically based
paradigm is lacking. As infants are the target population for future malaria vaccines,
understanding how they begin to develop immunity to malaria and the gaps in their
responses is key. This review summarizes the antimalarial antibody responses detected in
infants and how they change over time. We focus primarily on Pf antibody responses and
will briefly mention Plasmodium vivax responses in infants.
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32
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Mannelli C, Ietta F, Avanzati AM, Skarzynski D, Paulesu L. Biological Tools to Study the Effects of Environmental Contaminants at the Feto-Maternal Interface. Dose Response 2015; 13:1559325815611902. [PMID: 26740808 PMCID: PMC4679191 DOI: 10.1177/1559325815611902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The identification of reproductive toxicants is a major scientific challenge for human health. Prenatal life is the most vulnerable and important time span of human development. For obvious ethical reasons, in vivo models cannot be used in human pregnancy, and animal models do not perfectly reflect human physiology. This review describes the in vitro test models representative of the human feto-maternal interface and the effects of environmental chemicals with estrogen-like activity, mainly bisphenol A and para-nonylphenol, with a particular emphasis on the effects at low, nontoxic doses similar to concentrations commonly detected in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mannelli
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Francesca Ietta
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | | | - Dariusz Skarzynski
- Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Luana Paulesu
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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33
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Malhotra I, McKibben M, Mungai P, McKibben E, Wang X, Sutherland LJ, Muchiri EM, King CH, King CL, LaBeaud AD. Effect of antenatal parasitic infections on anti-vaccine IgG levels in children: a prospective birth cohort study in Kenya. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2015; 9:e0003466. [PMID: 25590337 PMCID: PMC4295886 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Parasitic infections are prevalent among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. We investigated whether prenatal exposure to malaria and/or helminths affects the pattern of infant immune responses to standard vaccinations against Haemophilus influenzae (Hib), diphtheria (DT), hepatitis B (Hep B) and tetanus toxoid (TT). Methods and Findings 450 Kenyan women were tested for malaria, schistosomiasis, lymphatic filariasis (LF), and intestinal helminths during pregnancy. After three standard vaccinations at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, their newborns were followed biannually to age 36 months and tested for absolute levels of IgG against Hib, DT, Hep B, and TT at each time point. Newborns’ cord blood (CB) lymphocyte responses to malaria blood-stage antigens, soluble Schistosoma haematobium worm antigen (SWAP), and filaria antigen (BMA) were also assessed. Three immunophenotype categories were compared: i) tolerant (those having Plasmodium-, Schistosoma-, or Wuchereria-infected mothers but lacking respective Th1/Th2-type recall responses at birth to malaria antigens, SWAP, or BMA); ii) sensitized (those with infected/uninfected mothers and detectable Th1/Th2-type CB recall response to respective parasite antigen); or iii) unexposed (no evidence of maternal infection or CB recall response). Overall, 78.9% of mothers were infected with LF (44.7%), schistosomiasis (32.4%), malaria (27.6%) or hookworm (33.8%). Antenatal maternal malaria, LF, and hookworm were independently associated with significantly lower Hib-specific IgG. Presence of multiple maternal infections was associated with lower infant IgG levels against Hib and DT antigens post-vaccination. Post-vaccination IgG levels were also significantly associated with immunophenotype: malaria-tolerized infants had reduced response to DT, whereas filaria-tolerized infants showed reduced response to Hib. Conclusions There is an impaired ability to develop IgG antibody responses to key protective antigens of Hib and diphtheria in infants of mothers infected with malaria and/or helminths during pregnancy. These findings highlight the importance of control and prevention of parasitic infections among pregnant women. Parasitic infections are prevalent among pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. Prenatal exposure to parasitic infections can generate several potential effects on fetal immune responses and affect functional antibody generation during subsequent vaccination. There is a paucity of data on the detrimental effects of chronic parasitic infections during pregnancy on the response to vaccine from birth to childhood. This paper highlights the overwhelming presence of helminth infection and malaria in pregnant women in rural Kenya. The study shows that the presence of single and multiple antenatal parasitic infections is associated with impaired infant IgG levels against Haemophilus influenzae (Hib) and diphtheria (DT) antigens post-vaccination from birth to 30 months of age. This study found that the response to DT was reduced in malaria-tolerized infants, and the response to Hib was impaired in filarial-tolerized infants; by contrast, the Schistosoma-tolerized group showed no effect. Deworming campaigns must be directed towards pregnant mothers, infants, and young children to improve response to vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indu Malhotra
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Maxim McKibben
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Peter Mungai
- Division of Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Elisabeth McKibben
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Xuelei Wang
- Case Western Reserve University, Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Laura J. Sutherland
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Eric M. Muchiri
- Division of Vector Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Charles H. King
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Christopher L. King
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - A. Desiree LaBeaud
- Case Western Reserve University, Center for Global Health and Diseases, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
- Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Center for Immunobiology and Vaccine Development, Oakland, California, United States of America
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Boudová S, Cohee LM, Kalilani-Phiri L, Thesing PC, Kamiza S, Muehlenbachs A, Taylor TE, Laufer MK. Pregnant women are a reservoir of malaria transmission in Blantyre, Malawi. Malar J 2014; 13:506. [PMID: 25520145 PMCID: PMC4301453 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-13-506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During pregnancy, women living in malaria-endemic regions are at increased risk of malaria infection and can harbour chronic placental infections. Intermittent preventive treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP-IPTp) is administered to reduce malaria morbidity. It was hypothesized that the presence of placental malaria infection and SP-IPTp use would increase the risk of peripheral blood gametocytes, the parasite stage that is transmissible to mosquitoes. This would suggest that pregnant women may be important reservoirs of malaria transmission. Methods Light microscopy was used to assess peripheral gametocytaemia in pregnant women enrolled in a longitudinal, observational study in Blantyre, Malawi to determine the association between placental malaria and maternal gametocytaemia. The relationship between SP-IPTp and gametocytaemia was also examined. Results 2,719 samples from 448 women were analysed and 32 episodes of microscopic gametocytaemia were detected in 27 women. At the time of enrolment 22 of 446 women (4.9%) had gametocytaemia and of the 341 women for whom there was sufficient sampling to analyse infection over the entire course of pregnancy, 27 (7.9%) were gametocytaemic at least once. Gametocytaemia at enrolment was associated with placental malaria, defined as malaria pigment or parasites detected by histology or qPCR, respectively (OR: 32.4, 95% CI: 4.2-250.2), but was not associated with adverse maternal or foetal outcomes. Administration of SP-IPTp did not affect gametocyte clearance or release into peripheral blood. Conclusions Gametocytaemia is present in 5% of pregnant women at their first antenatal visit and associated with placental malaria. SP-IPTp does not alter the risk of gametocytaemia. These data suggest that pregnant women are a significant reservoir of gametocyte transmission and should not be overlooked in elimination efforts. Interventions targeting this population would benefit from reaching women prior to first antenatal visit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Boudová
- Center for Vaccine Development, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Mpairwe H, Tweyongyere R, Elliott A. Pregnancy and helminth infections. Parasite Immunol 2014; 36:328-37. [PMID: 24471654 PMCID: PMC4260141 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
It has been proposed that helminth infection may be particularly detrimental during pregnancy, through adverse effects on maternal anaemia and on birth outcomes, and that anthelminthic treatment during pregnancy will therefore be particularly beneficial. However, the few treatment trials that have been conducted have given, but little support to this notion and further trials in settings of nutritional stress are needed. It has also been proposed that prenatal exposure to helminth infection has an important effect on the development of the foetal immune response. There is evidence that this may impact, long-term, upon responses to helminth and nonhelminth antigens, and to allergens. Exposure to helminths in utero may also have nonspecific effects that may modify the offspring's susceptibility to diseases mediated by inflammation, including metabolic disorders. The mechanisms of such effects are not known, but they deserve to be explored as current epidemiological findings suggest the possibility of primary prevention for inflammatory conditions such as allergy, through intervention during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Mpairwe
- MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, Entebbe, Uganda
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Plasmodium falciparum malaria in children aged 0-2 years: the role of foetal haemoglobin and maternal antibodies to two asexual malaria vaccine candidates (MSP3 and GLURP). PLoS One 2014; 9:e107965. [PMID: 25238160 PMCID: PMC4169582 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Children below six months are reported to be less susceptible to clinical malaria. Maternally derived antibodies and foetal haemoglobin are important putative protective factors. We examined antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) and glutamate-rich protein (GLURP), in children in their first two years of life in Burkina Faso and their risk of malaria. METHODS A cohort of 140 infants aged between four and six weeks was recruited in a stable transmission area of south-western Burkina Faso and monitored for 24 months by active and passive surveillance. Malaria infections were detected by examining blood smears using light microscopy. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantify total Immunoglobulin G to Plasmodium falciparum antigens MSP3 and two regions of GLURP (R0 and R2) on blood samples collected at baseline, three, six, nine, 12, 18 and 24 months. Foetal haemoglobin and variant haemoglobin fractions were measured at the baseline visit using high pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS A total of 79.6% of children experienced one or more episodes of febrile malaria during monitoring. Antibody titres to MSP3 were prospectively associated with an increased risk of malaria while antibody responses to GLURP (R0 and R2) did not alter the risk. Antibody titres to MSP3 were higher among children in areas of high malaria risk. Foetal haemoglobin was associated with delayed first episode of febrile malaria and haemoglobin CC type was associated with reduced incidence of febrile malaria. CONCLUSIONS We did not find any evidence of association between titres of antibodies to MSP3, GLURP-R0 or GLURP-R2 as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and early protection against malaria, although anti-MSP3 antibody titres may reflect increased exposure to malaria and therefore greater risk. Foetal haemoglobin was associated with protection against febrile malaria despite the study limitations and its role is therefore worthy further investigation.
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Paveglio S, Puddington L, Rafti E, Matson AP. FcRn-mediated intestinal absorption of IgG anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes in mice. Clin Exp Allergy 2013. [PMID: 23181795 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2012.04043.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanism(s) responsible for the acquisition of maternal antibody isotypes other than IgG are not fully understood. OBJECTIVE To define the ability of the neonatal Fc receptor for IgG uptake (FcRn) to mediate intestinal absorption of IgG(1) anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes. METHODS C57BL/6 allergic ovalbumin (OVA)-immune foster mothers were generated to nurse naïve FcRn(+/-) or FcRn(-/-) progeny. At the time of weaning, serum levels of OVA-specific antibodies and IgG(1) anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes were determined in allergic foster mothers and FcRn(+/+), FcRn(+/-), or FcRn(-/-) breastfed offspring. In separate experiments, FcRn(+/-) or FcRn(-/-) neonatal mice were gavage fed TNP-specific IgE as IgG(1) anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes, IgG(1) isotype control and IgE, or IgE alone. Mice were killed 2 h after feeding to determine serum levels and biological activity of absorbed TNP-specific IgE. RESULTS As expected, the absorption of maternal OVA-specific IgG(1) in FcRn(-/-) offspring was at levels 10(3) -10(4) less than observed in FcRn(+/+) or FcRn(+/-) offspring. Surprisingly, FcRn expression also influenced the absorption of maternal IgE. OVA-specific IgE was detected in FcRn(+/+) and FcRn(+/-) offspring, but not in FcRn(-/-) offspring. IgG(1) anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes were detected in allergic foster mothers and correlated strongly with levels in FcRn(+/+) and FcRn(+/-) offspring (ρ = 0.88, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, FcRn expression was required for neonatal mice to absorb TNP-specific IgE when fed as IgG(1) anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes. When immune complexes were generated with IgG(1) anti-IgE directed against the Cε4 domain, the absorbed IgE was able to function in antigen-dependent basophil degranulation. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE These data demonstrate a novel mechanism by which FcRn may facilitate absorption of maternal antibodies other than IgG. These findings are clinically relevant because FcRn mediates the transplacental passage of maternal IgG to the fetus. This raises the possibility that FcRn could mediate the transplacental passage of maternal IgE as IgG anti-IgE/IgE immune complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Paveglio
- Department of Immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
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Harrington WE, Morrison R, Fried M, Duffy PE. Intermittent preventive treatment in pregnant women is associated with increased risk of severe malaria in their offspring. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56183. [PMID: 23451036 PMCID: PMC3581554 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In areas of widespread sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance, intermittent treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) fails to prevent placental malaria (PM) and may exacerbate drug resistant infections. Because PM predicts increased susceptibility to parasitemia during infancy, we hypothesized that IPTp would also increase susceptibility to malaria infection and disease in the offspring. Methods In a birth cohort from NE Tanzania, we evaluated the association between maternal IPTp use and risk of parasitemia and severe malaria in the offspring. Using Cox Proportional Hazards Models as well as Generalized Estimating Equations, we evaluated the effects of IPTp on the entire cohort and on subgroups stratified by PM status at delivery. Results and Conclusions Offspring of PM+ women who received IPTp had a dose-dependent decrease in time to first parasitemia (AHR = 2.13, p = 0.04 [95%CI: 1.04, 4.38]). Among all offspring, IPTp was associated with earlier first severe malaria episode (AHR = 2.32, p = 0.02 [95%CI: 1.12, 4.78]) as well as increased overall odds of severe malaria (AOR = 2.31, p = 0.03 [95%CI: 1.09, 4.88]). Cost-benefit analyses of IPTp regimens should consider the long term effects on offspring in addition to pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney E. Harrington
- Seattle Children's Hospital/University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Robert Morrison
- Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Michal Fried
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Patrick E. Duffy
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Khattab A, Kremsner P, Meri S. Complement activation in primiparous women from a malaria endemic area is associated with reduced birthweight. Placenta 2013; 34:162-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2012.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2012] [Revised: 11/22/2012] [Accepted: 11/22/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Olsson MG, Allhorn M, Bülow L, Hansson SR, Ley D, Olsson ML, Schmidtchen A, Akerström B. Pathological conditions involving extracellular hemoglobin: molecular mechanisms, clinical significance, and novel therapeutic opportunities for α(1)-microglobulin. Antioxid Redox Signal 2012; 17:813-46. [PMID: 22324321 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2011.4282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hemoglobin (Hb) is the major oxygen (O(2))-carrying system of the blood but has many potentially dangerous side effects due to oxidation and reduction reactions of the heme-bound iron and O(2). Extracellular Hb, resulting from hemolysis or exogenous infusion, is shown to be an important pathogenic factor in a growing number of diseases. This review briefly outlines the oxidative/reductive toxic reactions of Hb and its metabolites. It also describes physiological protection mechanisms that have evolved against extracellular Hb, with a focus on the most recently discovered: the heme- and radical-binding protein α(1)-microglobulin (A1M). This protein is found in all vertebrates, including man, and operates by rapidly clearing cytosols and extravascular fluids of heme groups and free radicals released from Hb. Five groups of pathological conditions with high concentrations of extracellular Hb are described: hemolytic anemias and transfusion reactions, the pregnancy complication pre-eclampsia, cerebral intraventricular hemorrhage of premature infants, chronic inflammatory leg ulcers, and infusion of Hb-based O(2) carriers as blood substitutes. Finally, possible treatments of these conditions are discussed, giving a special attention to the described protective effects of A1M.
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Staszewski V, Reece SE, O'Donnell AJ, Cunningham EJA. Drug treatment of malaria infections can reduce levels of protection transferred to offspring via maternal immunity. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2487-96. [PMID: 22357264 PMCID: PMC3350664 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2011] [Accepted: 02/01/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternally transferred immunity can have a fundamental effect on the ability of offspring to deal with infection. However, levels of antibodies in adults can vary both quantitatively and qualitatively between individuals and during the course of infection. How infection dynamics and their modification by drug treatment might affect the protection transferred to offspring remains poorly understood. Using the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium chabaudi, we demonstrate that curing dams part way through infection prior to pregnancy can alter their immune response, with major consequences for offspring health and survival. In untreated maternal infections, maternally transferred protection suppressed parasitaemia and reduced pup mortality by 75 per cent compared with pups from naïve dams. However, when dams were treated with anti-malarial drugs, pups received fewer maternal antibodies, parasitaemia was only marginally suppressed, and mortality risk was 25 per cent higher than for pups from dams with full infections. We observed the same qualitative patterns across three different host strains and two parasite genotypes. This study reveals the role that within-host infection dynamics play in the fitness consequences of maternally transferred immunity. Furthermore, it highlights a potential trade-off between the health of mothers and offspring suggesting that anti-parasite treatment may significantly affect the outcome of infection in newborns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Staszewski
- Centre for Infection Immunity and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK.
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Dauby N, Goetghebuer T, Kollmann TR, Levy J, Marchant A. Uninfected but not unaffected: chronic maternal infections during pregnancy, fetal immunity, and susceptibility to postnatal infections. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2012; 12:330-40. [PMID: 22364680 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(11)70341-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chronic infections during pregnancy are highly prevalent in some parts of the world. Infections with helminths, Trypanosoma cruzi, Plasmodium spp, and HIV might affect the development of fetal immunity and susceptibility to postnatal infections independently of in-utero transmission of the pathogens. Fetal adaptive immune responses are common in neonates who have been exposed to maternal infection during pregnancy but not infected themselves. Such responses could affect the development of immunity to the homologous pathogens and their control during the first few years of life. Fetal innate and regulatory responses might also affect immunity to unrelated pathogens and responses to vaccines. Strategies to improve child health should integrate the possible clinical implications of in-utero exposure to chronic maternal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dauby
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Charleroi, Belgium
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Young BK, Li X, Arslan AA. Parallel maternal and fetal immune activation by bacterial toxins in vitro. J Perinat Med 2011; 40:73-6. [PMID: 21834609 DOI: 10.1515/jpm.2011.104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2011] [Accepted: 06/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
This study evaluated in vitro immune responses to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide in maternal and fetal blood. Samples were concurrently obtained from maternal venipuncture and umbilical cord blood samples and cultured with the E. coli endotoxin, and cytokines were assayed. There were statistically significant correlations between maternal and fetal samples. This demonstrates maternal and fetal immune communication and mutual programming during pregnancy. Subclinical infection, which predisposes to premature labor, could be detectable from a maternal blood sample even if derived only from the fetal compartment. A maternal blood panel test might serve as a diagnostic screen for subclinical infection in patients at risk for preterm labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce K Young
- Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Immunological footprint: the development of a child's immune system in environments rich in microorganisms and parasites. Parasitology 2011; 138:1508-18. [PMID: 21767432 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182011000588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The shaping of a child's immune system starts in utero, with possible long-term consequences in later life. This review highlights the studies conducted on the development of the immune system in early childhood up to school-age, discussing the impact that environmental factors may have. Emphasis has been put on studies conducted in geographical regions where exposure to micro-organisms and parasites are particularly high, and the effect that maternal exposures to these may have on an infant's immune responses to third-party antigens. In this respect we discuss the effect on responses to vaccines, co-infections and on the development of allergic disorders. In addition, studies of the impact that such environmental factors may have on slightly older (school) children are highlighted emphasizing the need for large studies in low to middle income countries, that are sufficiently powered and have longitudinal follow-up components to understand the immunological footprint of a child and the consequences throughout life.
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Köhler C, Adegnika AA, van der Linden R, Luty AJF, Kremsner PG. Phenotypic characterization of mononuclear blood cells from pregnant Gabonese and their newborns. Trop Med Int Health 2011; 16:1061-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2011.02812.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Placental malaria-associated suppression of parasite-specific immune response in neonates has no major impact on systemic CD4 T cell homeostasis. Infect Immun 2011; 79:2801-9. [PMID: 21518782 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00203-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In areas where Plasmodium falciparum is endemic, pregnancy is associated with accumulation of infected red blood cells (RBCs) in the placenta, a condition referred to as placental malaria (PM). Infants born to PM-positive mothers are at an increased risk of malaria, which is putatively related to the transplacental passage of parasite-derived antigens, with consequent tolerization of the fetal immune system. Here we addressed the impact of PM on the regulation of neonatal T cell responses. We found that the frequency of regulatory CD25(+) CD127(-/low) Foxp3(+) CD4(+) T cells was significantly decreased in neonates born to mothers with high levels of P. falciparum-induced placental inflammation, consisting mainly of primigravid mothers. However, at the individual level, the ratio between regulatory and effector (CD25(+) CD127(+) Foxp3(-)) CD4(+) T cells was unaffected by PM. In addition, parasite-induced CD4(+) T cell activation and production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-10 were strongly reduced in neonates born to PM-positive mothers. Thus, our results show that active PM at delivery is associated with a marked suppression of P. falciparum-specific cellular neonatal immune responses, affecting secretion of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, our results suggest that, as in adults, effector and regulatory CD4(+) T cell populations are tightly coregulated in all neonates, irrespective of the maternal infection status.
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Elliott AM, Mawa PA, Webb EL, Nampijja M, Lyadda N, Bukusuba J, Kizza M, Namujju PB, Nabulime J, Ndibazza J, Muwanga M, Whitworth JAG. Effects of maternal and infant co-infections, and of maternal immunisation, on the infant response to BCG and tetanus immunisation. Vaccine 2010; 29:247-55. [PMID: 21040693 PMCID: PMC3021124 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.10.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2010] [Revised: 10/14/2010] [Accepted: 10/18/2010] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Some vaccines show poor efficacy in tropical countries. Within a birth cohort in Uganda, we investigated factors that might influence responses to BCG and tetanus immunisation. Whole blood assay responses to crude culture filtrate proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (cCFP)) and tetanus toxoid (TT) were examined among 1506 and 1433 one-year-olds, respectively. Maternal Mansonella perstans infection was associated with higher interleukin (IL)-10 responses to both immunogens but no reduction in gamma interferon (IFN-γ), IL-5 and IL-13 responses; other maternal helminth infections showed little effect. Tetanus immunisation during pregnancy was associated with higher infant responses to TT; maternal BCG scar (from past immunisation) with lower infant IL-5 and IL-13 responses to cCFP. IFN-γ, IL-5 and IL-13 to TT were reduced in HIV-exposed-uninfected infants; infant malaria and HIV were associated with lower IFN-γ, IL-5 and IL-13 responses to both immunogens. We conclude that maternal helminth infections are unlikely to explain poor vaccine efficacy in the tropics. Effects of maternal immunisation on infant responses to vaccines should be explored. Prevention of infant malaria and HIV could contribute to effectiveness of immunisation programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison M Elliott
- MRC/UVRI Uganda Research Unit on AIDS, P.O. Box 49, Entebbe, Uganda.
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Steiner K, Myrie L, Malhotra I, Mungai P, Muchiri E, Dent A, King CL. Fetal immune activation to malaria antigens enhances susceptibility to in vitro HIV infection in cord blood mononuclear cells. J Infect Dis 2010; 202:899-907. [PMID: 20687848 PMCID: PMC3620023 DOI: 10.1086/655783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2010] [Accepted: 04/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mother-to-child-transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a significant cause of new HIV infections in many countries. To examine whether fetal immune activation as a consequence of prenatal exposure to parasitic antigens increases the risk of MTCT, cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) from Kenyan and North American newborns were examined for relative susceptibility to HIV infection in vitro. Kenyan CBMCs were 3-fold more likely to be infected with HIV than were North American CBMCs (P=.03). Kenyan CBMCs with recall responses to malaria antigens demonstrated enhanced susceptibility to HIV when compared with Kenyan CBMCs lacking recall responses to malaria (P=.03). CD4(+) T cells from malaria-sensitized newborns expressed higher levels of CD25 and human leukocyte antigen DR ex vivo, which is consistent with increased immune activation. CD4(+) T cells were the primary reservoir of infection at day 4 after virus exposure. Thus, prenatal exposure and in utero priming to malaria may increase the risk of MTCT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Steiner
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Latoya Myrie
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Indu Malhotra
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Peter Mungai
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
- Division of Vector Borne DiseasesNairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Arlene Dent
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
| | - Christopher L. King
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University
- Veterans Affairs Medical CenterCleveland, Ohio
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