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Bos M, Colucci F. A New Look at Immunogenetics of Pregnancy: Maternal Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Educates Uterine Natural Killer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8869. [PMID: 39201555 PMCID: PMC11354926 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Our incomplete knowledge of maternal-fetal interface (MFI) physiology impedes a better understanding of the pathological mechanisms leading to pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. At the MFI, uterine natural killer (uNK) cells do not attack fetal cells but engage in crosstalk with both fetal and maternal cells to support feto-placental development. However, mother and fetus are genetically half-mismatched and certain combinations of variable immune genes-human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR), indeed, the most variable gene sets in the genome-associate with pregnancy outcomes, suggesting that these interactions regulate uNK cell function. How do these interactions influence the physiology and pathology at the MFI? Uterine NK cell function is regulated by both maternal and fetal Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC); however, evidence for fetal cells educating uNK cells is lacking, and new evidence shows that maternal rather than fetal MHC class I molecules educate uNK cells. Furthermore, uNK cell education works through self-recognition by the ancient and conserved NKG2A receptor. Pregnant mice lacking this receptor produce normal litter sizes, but a significant portion of the offspring have low birthweight and abnormal brain development. Evidence from a genome-wide association study of over 150,000 human pregnancies validates the finding because women whose NKG2A receptor is genetically determined to engage their own MHC class I molecules are exposed to lower risk of developing pre-eclampsia, suggesting that maternal uNK cell education is a pre-requisite for a healthy pregnancy and, likely, for healthy offspring too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Bos
- Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Francesco Colucci
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
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Ando A, Matsubara T, Suzuki S, Imaeda N, Takasu M, Shigenari A, Miyamoto A, Ohshima S, Kametani Y, Shiina T, Kulski JK, Kitagawa H. Genetic Links between Reproductive Traits and Amino Acid Pairwise Distances of Swine Leukocyte Antigen Alleles among Mating Partners in Microminipigs. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7362. [PMID: 39000468 PMCID: PMC11242825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Previously, we found that a greater dissimilarity in swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class I and class II alleles between mating partners resulted in increased farrowing rates in a highly inbred population of Microminipigs (MMPs). In this follow-up study, we have analyzed the effects of dissimilarity in SLA alleles between mating partners for seven different reproductive traits, including litter size and the number of stillborn and live or dead weaned piglets. We determined the relationships among reproductive traits within each mating event and the amino acid distances of SLA alleles as markers of diversity between mating partners. Our results indicate that mating partners with greater amino acid pairwise genetic distances in the SLA-1 class I gene or DQB1 class II gene alleles were associated with significantly larger litter sizes and higher numbers of live piglets at birth and weaning. Also, partners with greater pairwise distances in the SLA-2 class I gene alleles exhibited fewer pre-weaning deaths. These findings suggest that the dissimilarity in SLA class I and class II alleles between mating partners may affect not only farrowing rates but also other key reproductive traits such as litter size and improved piglet survival rates. Consequently, SLA alleles could serve as valuable genetic markers for selecting mating partners in breeding programs and for conducting epistatic studies on various reproductive traits in MMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asako Ando
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Tatsuya Matsubara
- Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan; (T.M.); (N.I.)
| | - Shingo Suzuki
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Noriaki Imaeda
- Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan; (T.M.); (N.I.)
| | - Masaki Takasu
- Gifu University Institute for Advanced Study, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan;
- Center for One Medicine Innovative Translational Research (COMIT), Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan
| | - Atsuko Shigenari
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Asuka Miyamoto
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Shino Ohshima
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Yoshie Kametani
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Takashi Shiina
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
| | - Jerzy K. Kulski
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Division of Basic Medical Science and Molecular Medicine, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara 259-1193, Japan; (S.S.); (A.S.); (A.M.); (S.O.); (Y.K.); (T.S.); or (J.K.K.)
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, School of Biomedical Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Hitoshi Kitagawa
- Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193, Japan; (T.M.); (N.I.)
- Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, 1-3 Ikoino-oka, Imabari, Ehime 794-8555, Japan
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Oravecz O, Romero R, Tóth E, Kapitány J, Posta M, Gallo DM, Rossi SW, Tarca AL, Erez O, Papp Z, Matkó J, Than NG, Balogh A. Placental galectins regulate innate and adaptive immune responses in pregnancy. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1088024. [PMID: 36643922 PMCID: PMC9832025 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1088024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Galectins are master regulators of maternal immune responses and placentation in pregnancy. Galectin-13 (gal-13) and galectin-14 (gal-14) are expressed solely by the placenta and contribute to maternal-fetal immune tolerance by inducing the apoptosis of activated T lymphocytes and the polarization of neutrophils toward an immune-regulatory phenotype.Furthermore, their decreased placental expression is associated with pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and miscarriage. Yet, our knowledge of the immunoregulatory role of placental galectins is incomplete. Methods This study aimed to investigate the effects of recombinant gal-13 and gal-14 on cell viability, apoptosis, and cytokine production of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the signaling pathways involved. Results Herein, we show that gal-13 and gal-14 bind to the surface of non-activated PBMCs (monocytes, natural killer cells, B cells, and T cells) and increase their viability while decreasing the rate of their apoptosis without promoting cell proliferation. We also demonstrate that gal-13 and gal-14 induce the production of interleukin (IL)-8, IL-10, and interferon-gamma cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner in PBMCs. The parallel activation of Erk1/2, p38, and NF-ĸB signaling evidenced by kinase phosphorylation in PBMCs suggests the involvement of these pathways in the regulation of the galectin-affected immune cell functions. Discussion These findings provide further evidence on how placenta-specific galectins assist in the establishment and maintenance of a proper immune environment during a healthy pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orsolya Oravecz
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary,Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, United States
| | - Eszter Tóth
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Kapitány
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Máté Posta
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary,Károly Rácz Doctoral School of Clinical Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dahiana M. Gallo
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Universidad Del Valle, Cali, Colombia
| | | | - Adi L. Tarca
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, United States,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Genesis Theranostix Group, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Offer Erez
- Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, United States,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, United States,Genesis Theranostix Group, Budapest, Hungary,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel
| | - Zoltán Papp
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary,Maternity Private Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Matkó
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nándor Gábor Than
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary,Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Detroit, MI, United States,Genesis Theranostix Group, Budapest, Hungary,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary,Maternity Private Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Budapest, Hungary,*Correspondence: Nándor Gábor Than,
| | - Andrea Balogh
- Systems Biology of Reproduction Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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Mother–Fetus Immune Cross-Talk Coordinates “Extrinsic”/“Intrinsic” Embryo Gene Expression Noise and Growth Stability. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012467. [PMID: 36293324 PMCID: PMC9604428 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental instability (DI) is thought to be inversely related to a capacity of an organism to buffer its development against random genetic and environmental perturbations. DI is represented by a trait’s inter- and intra-individual variabilities. The inter-individual variability (inversely referred to as canalization) indicates the capability of organisms to reproduce a trait from individual to individual. The intra-individual variability reflects an organism’s capability to stabilize a trait internally under the same conditions, and, for symmetric traits, it is expressed as fluctuating asymmetry (FA). When representing a trait as a random variable conditioned on environmental fluctuations, it is clear that, in statistical terms, the DI partitions into “extrinsic” (canalization) and “intrinsic” (FA) components of a trait’s variance/noise. We established a simple statistical framework to dissect both parts of a symmetric trait variance/noise using a PCA (principal component analysis) projection of the left/right measurements on eigenvectors followed by GAMLSS (generalized additive models for location scale and shape) modeling of eigenvalues. The first eigenvalue represents “extrinsic” and the second—“intrinsic” DI components. We applied this framework to investigate the impact of mother–fetus major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mediated immune cross-talk on gene expression noise and developmental stability. We showed that “intrinsic” gene noise for the entire transcriptional landscape could be estimated from a small subset of randomly selected genes. Using a diagnostic set of genes, we found that allogeneic MHC combinations tended to decrease “extrinsic” and “intrinsic” gene noise in C57BL/6J embryos developing in the surrogate NOD-SCID and BALB/c mothers. The “intrinsic” gene noise was negatively correlated with growth (embryonic mass) and the levels of placental growth factor (PLGF), but not vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, it was positively associated with phenotypic growth instability and noise in PLGF. In mammals, the mother–fetus MHC interaction plays a significant role in development, contributing to the fitness of the offspring. Our results demonstrate that a positive impact of distant MHC combinations on embryonic growth could be mediated by the reduction of “intrinsic” gene noise followed by the developmental stabilization of growth.
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Colucci F. Uterine NK Cells Ace an "A" in Education: NKG2A Sets Up Crucial Functions at the Maternal-Fetal Interface. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2022; 209:1421-1425. [PMID: 36192118 PMCID: PMC7613701 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
I argue here that reproduction was a driving force in the evolution of NK-cell education, which is set by interactions between inhibitory receptors and self MHC. Maternal lymphocytes also interact with allogeneic MHC on fetal trophoblast cells. How the maternal immune system accommodates the semi-allogeneic fetus is a fascinating question. But it may be the wrong question. Tissue lymphocytes, like uterine NK (uNK) cells, do not attack the mismatched fetus and its placenta. Instead, they help the local vasculature to accommodate changes necessary to nourish the fetus. Education of uNK cells, driven by the ancient CD94:NKG2A inhibitory receptor and self MHC, sets them up to deliver these key functions at the maternal-fetal interface. /112
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Colucci
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 0SW, UK,University of Cambridge Centre for Trophoblast Research, Cambridge, UK
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Moffett A, Shreeve N. Local immune recognition of trophoblast in early human pregnancy: controversies and questions. Nat Rev Immunol 2022; 23:222-235. [PMID: 36192648 PMCID: PMC9527719 DOI: 10.1038/s41577-022-00777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The role of the maternal immune system in reproductive success in humans remains controversial. Here we focus on the events that occur in the maternal decidua during the first few weeks of human pregnancy, because this is the site at which maternal leukocytes initially interact with and can recognize fetal trophoblast cells, potentially involving allorecognition by both T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells are the dominant leukocyte population in first-trimester decidua, and genetic studies point to a role of allorecognition by uterine NK cells in establishing a boundary between the mother and the fetus. By contrast, definitive evidence that allorecognition by decidual T cells occurs during the first trimester is lacking. Thus, our view is that during the crucial period when the placenta is established, damaging T cell-mediated adaptive immune responses towards placental trophoblast are minimized, whereas NK cell allorecognition contributes to successful implantation and healthy pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Moffett
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Norman Shreeve
- grid.5335.00000000121885934Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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