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Wang H, Wang L, Gong G, Lin X, Luo J, Liu C, Mor G, Liao A. Interleukin-10: a novel metabolic inducer of macrophage differentiation and subsequently contributing to improved pregnancy outcomes of mice by orchestrating oxidative phosphorylation metabolism†. Biol Reprod 2024; 111:76-91. [PMID: 38501817 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae041] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolism regulates the phenotype and function of macrophages. After recruitment to local tissues, monocytes are influenced by the local microenvironment and differentiate into various macrophages depending on different metabolic pathways. However, the metabolic mechanisms underlying decidual macrophage differentiation remain unknown. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an important decidual macrophage inducer and promotes oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) of bone marrow-derived macrophages. In this study, we mainly investigate the metabolic changes involved in IL-10-generated macrophages from monocytes using in vitro models. We demonstrate that exposure of monocytes (either peripheral or THP-1) to IL-10 altered the phenotype and function of resultant macrophages that are linked with OXPHOS changes. Interleukin-10 enhanced the mitochondrial complex I and III activity of THP-1 cell-differentiated macrophages and increased the mitochondrial membrane potential, intracellular adenosine triphosphate, and reactive oxygen species levels. Oxidative phosphorylation blockage with oligomycin changed the cell morphology of IL-10-generated macrophages and the expression levels of cytokines, such as transforming growth factor beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon gamma, and IL-10, apart from changes in the expression level of the surface markers CD206, CD209, and CD163. Moreover, in vivo IL-10 administration reduced the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced embryo resorption rate, and this effect was diminished when OXPHOS was inhibited, demonstrating that OXPHOS is important for the improved pregnancy outcomes of IL-10 in LPS-induced abortion-prone mice. Our findings provide deep insights into the roles of IL-10 in macrophage biology and pregnancy maintenance. Nevertheless, the direct evidence that OXPHOS is involved in decidual macrophage differentiation needs further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Liling Wang
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Guangshun Gong
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Xinxiu Lin
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Jing Luo
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Chunyan Liu
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
| | - Gil Mor
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
- C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Aihua Liao
- Institute of Reproductive Health, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, P.R. China
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Wang X, Wang S, Xu X, Jiang Y, Ren L, Zhang H, Li Z, Liu X, Hu X, Ren Y. The effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection on galectin-9 expression in decidual macrophages contributing to dysfunction of decidual NK cells during pregnancy. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:299. [PMID: 38987795 PMCID: PMC11234737 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06379-2] [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: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii infection causes adverse pregnancy outcomes by affecting the expression of immunotolerant molecules in decidual immune cells. Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is widely expressed in decidual macrophages (dMφ) and is crucial for maintaining normal pregnancy by interacting with the immunomodulatory protein T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing molecule 3 (Tim-3). However, the effects of T. gondii infection on Gal-9 expression in dMφ, and the impact of altered Gal-9 expression levels on the maternal-fetal tolerance function of decidual natural killer (dNK) cells, are still unknown. METHODS Pregnancy outcomes of T. gondii-infected C57BL/6 and Lgals9-/- pregnant mice models were recorded. Expression of Gal-9, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphorylated JNK (p-JNK), and Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) was detected by western blotting, flow cytometry or immunofluorescence. The binding of FOXO1 to the promoter of Lgals9 was determined by chromatin immunoprecipitation-polymerase chain reaction (ChIP-PCR). The expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK), cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB), T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) in dNK cells was assayed by western blotting. RESULTS Toxoplasma gondii infection increased the expression of p-JNK and FOXO1 in dMφ, resulting in a reduction in Gal-9 due to the elevated binding of FOXO1 with Lgals9 promoter. Downregulation of Gal-9 enhanced the phosphorylation of ERK, inhibited the expression of p-CREB and IL-10, and promoted the expression of T-bet and IFN-γ in dNK cells. In the mice model, knockout of Lgals9 aggravated adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by T. gondii infection during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Toxoplasma gondii infection suppressed Gal-9 expression in dMφ by activating the JNK/FOXO1 signaling pathway, and reduction of Gal-9 contributed to dysfunction of dNK via Gal-9/Tim-3 interaction. This study provides new insights for the molecular mechanisms of the adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Wang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuyan Wang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuzhu Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Liqin Ren
- Department of Microbiology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Haixia Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhidan Li
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianbing Liu
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuemei Hu
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yushan Ren
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Collins A, Swann JW, Proven MA, Patel CM, Mitchell CA, Kasbekar M, Dellorusso PV, Passegué E. Maternal inflammation regulates fetal emergency myelopoiesis. Cell 2024; 187:1402-1421.e21. [PMID: 38428422 PMCID: PMC10954379 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.002] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Neonates are highly susceptible to inflammation and infection. Here, we investigate how late fetal liver (FL) mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) respond to inflammation, testing the hypothesis that deficits in the engagement of emergency myelopoiesis (EM) pathways limit neutrophil output and contribute to perinatal neutropenia. We show that fetal HSPCs have limited production of myeloid cells at steady state and fail to activate a classical adult-like EM transcriptional program. Moreover, we find that fetal HSPCs can respond to EM-inducing inflammatory stimuli in vitro but are restricted by maternal anti-inflammatory factors, primarily interleukin-10 (IL-10), from activating EM pathways in utero. Accordingly, we demonstrate that the loss of maternal IL-10 restores EM activation in fetal HSPCs but at the cost of fetal demise. These results reveal the evolutionary trade-off inherent in maternal anti-inflammatory responses that maintain pregnancy but render the fetus unresponsive to EM activation signals and susceptible to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Collins
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Neonatology-Perinatology, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - James W Swann
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Melissa A Proven
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Chandani M Patel
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Carl A Mitchell
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Monica Kasbekar
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Paul V Dellorusso
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Emmanuelle Passegué
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Viana Silva M, Valente RS, Annes K, Marsico TV, Oliveira AM, Maiollo BAP, Lopes NJ, Tannura JH, Sudano MJ. Effect of IL-10 and TNF-α on the competence and cryosurvival of in vitro produced Bos indicus embryos. Theriogenology 2024; 215:170-176. [PMID: 38071763 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
In vitro-produced embryos are constantly exposed to stressful conditions that can lead to the activation of the apoptotic pathway. The nuclear Kappa B factor (NF-κB) is an inflammatory mediator that induces the expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), a pro-inflammatory cytokine, while interleukin-10 (IL-10), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, inhibits NF-κB activity. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IL-10 and TNF-α on the competence and cryosurvival of in vitro-produced bovine embryos. Embryos were produced in vitro using standard protocols, and Grade I blastocysts were vitrified using the Cryotop method. Non-vitrified and vitrified blastocysts were subjected to the TUNEL assay. In Experiment I, on day 6.5 (156 h post-insemination), the embryos were treated with PBS (control), 50 ng/mL of IL-10, or a combination of 25 ng/mL of TNF-α and 50 ng/mL of IL-10. Embryonic development and apoptotic rates were monitored. In Experiment II, the same groups were set up, with the addition of a group treated with 25 ng/mL of TNF-α alone. Grade I blastocysts were vitrified 5 h after treatment, and cryosurvival was monitored at until 48 h post-warming. The apoptosis rate and total cell number were investigated in the vitrified-hatched blastocysts. IL-10 alone did not affect developmental competence or cryosurvival (P > 0.05). The IL-10-treated embryos, when exposed in combination with TNF-α, presented a detrimental effect (P < 0.05) in the embryonic development of non-vitrified embryos. However, vitrified blastocysts had no negative effect (P > 0.05). The TNF-α treatment reduced (P < 0.05) the re-expansion rate at 6 h post-warming and increased (P < 0.05) the apoptosis rate in vitrified hatched blastocysts, whereas no effect (P > 0.05) of the treatments was detected in the hatching rate and total cell number post-warming. In conclusion, TNF-α has a detrimental effect on embryonic developmental competence and cryosurvival by compromising the development of non-vitrified embryos and apoptotic-related events of vitrified blastocysts, whereas IL-10, when in combination with TNF-α, appears to attenuate the detrimental effects of TNF-α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Viana Silva
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| | - Roniele Santana Valente
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| | - Kelly Annes
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis - Km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Thamiris Vieira Marsico
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil.
| | - Andressa Minozzo Oliveira
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis - Km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | - Mateus José Sudano
- Center of Natural and Human Sciences, Universidade Federal do ABC, Av. dos Estados, 5001, 09210-580, Santo André, SP, Brazil; Department of Genetics and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luis - Km 235, 13565-905, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
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Lyu F, Burzynski C, Fang YY, Tal A, Chen AY, Kisa J, Agrawal K, Kluger Y, Taylor HS, Tal R. Maternal CXCR4 deletion results in placental defects and pregnancy loss mediated by immune dysregulation. JCI Insight 2023; 8:e172216. [PMID: 37815869 PMCID: PMC10721256 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.172216] [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: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
CXCR4 is a key regulator of the development of NK cells and DCs, both of which play an important role in early placental development and immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface. However, the role of CXCR4 in pregnancy is not well understood. Our study demonstrates that adult-induced global genetic CXCR4 deletion, but not uterine-specific CXCR4 deletion, was associated with increased pregnancy resorptions and decreased litter size. CXCR4-deficient mice had decreased NK cells and increased granulocytes in the decidua, along with increased leukocyte numbers in peripheral blood. We found that CXCR4-deficient mice had abnormal decidual NK cell aggregates and NK cell infiltration into trophoblast areas beyond the giant cell layer. This was associated with low NK cell expression of granzyme B, a NK cell granule effector, indicative of NK cell dysfunction. Pregnancy failure in these mice was associated with abnormalities in placental vascular development and increased placental expression of inflammatory genes. Importantly, adoptive BM transfer of WT CXCR4+ BM cells into CXCR4-deficient mice rescued the reproductive deficits by normalizing NK cell function and mediating normal placental vascular development. Collectively, our study found an important role for maternal CXCR4 expression in immune cell function, placental development, and pregnancy maintenance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Lyu
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Chase Burzynski
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Yuan yuan Fang
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Aya Tal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Alice Y. Chen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Jacqueline Kisa
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Kriti Agrawal
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Program of Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yuval Kluger
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Program of Applied Mathematics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Hugh S. Taylor
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
| | - Reshef Tal
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, and
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Coleman M, Orvis A, Brokaw A, Furuta A, Sharma K, Quach P, Bhullar A, Sanghavi R, Nguyen S, Sweeney E, Seepersaud R, Armistead B, Adams Waldorf KM, Rajagopal L. GBS hyaluronidase mediates immune suppression in a TLR2/4- and IL-10-dependent manner during pregnancy-associated infection. mBio 2023; 14:e0204923. [PMID: 37747229 PMCID: PMC10653848 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02049-23] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Bacteria such as GBS can cause infections during pregnancy leading to preterm births, stillbirths, and neonatal infections. The interaction between host and bacterial factors during infections in the placenta is not fully understood. GBS secretes a hyaluronidase enzyme that is thought to digest host hyaluronan into immunosuppressive disaccharides that dampen TLR2/4 signaling, leading to increased bacterial dissemination and adverse outcomes. In this study, we show that GBS HylB mediates immune suppression and promotes bacterial infection during pregnancy that requires TLR2, TLR4, and IL-10. Understanding the interaction between host and bacterial factors can inform future therapeutic strategies to mitigate GBS infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Coleman
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Austyn Orvis
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Alyssa Brokaw
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anna Furuta
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kavita Sharma
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Phoenicia Quach
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Avneet Bhullar
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rhea Sanghavi
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shayla Nguyen
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Erin Sweeney
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ravin Seepersaud
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Blair Armistead
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kristina M. Adams Waldorf
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lakshmi Rajagopal
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Collins A, Swann JW, Proven MA, Patel CM, Mitchell CA, Kasbekar M, Dellorusso PV, Passegué E. Maternal IL-10 restricts fetal emergency myelopoiesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.13.557548. [PMID: 37745377 PMCID: PMC10515963 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.13.557548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Neonates, in contrast to adults, are highly susceptible to inflammation and infection. Here we investigate how late fetal liver (FL) mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) respond to inflammation, testing the hypothesis that deficits in engagement of emergency myelopoiesis (EM) pathways limit neutrophil output and contribute to perinatal neutropenia. We show that despite similar molecular wiring as adults, fetal HSPCs have limited production of myeloid cells at steady state and fail to activate a classical EM transcriptional program. Moreover, we find that fetal HSPCs are capable of responding to EM-inducing inflammatory stimuli in vitro , but are restricted by maternal anti-inflammatory factors, primarily interleukin-10 (IL-10), from activating EM pathways in utero . Accordingly, we demonstrate that loss of maternal IL-10 restores EM activation in fetal HSPCs but at the cost of premature parturition. These results reveal the evolutionary trade-off inherent in maternal anti-inflammatory responses that maintain pregnancy but render the fetus unresponsive to EM activation signals and susceptible to infection. HIGHLIGHTS The structure of the HSPC compartment is conserved from late fetal to adult life.Fetal HSPCs have diminished steady-state myeloid cell production compared to adult.Fetal HSPCs are restricted from engaging in emergency myelopoiesis by maternal IL-10.Restriction of emergency myelopoiesis may explain neutropenia in septic neonates. eTOC BLURB Fetal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are restricted from activating emergency myelopoiesis pathways by maternal IL-10, resulting in inadequate myeloid cell production in response to inflammatory challenges and contributing to neonatal neutropenia.
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Cheng S, Huang Z, Nakashima A, Sharma S. Gestational Age-Dependent Regulation of Transthyretin in Mice during Pregnancy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1048. [PMID: 37626934 PMCID: PMC10451295 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Our prior studies have shown that protein misfolding and aggregation in the placenta are linked to the development of preeclampsia, a severe pregnancy complication. We identified transthyretin (TTR) as a key component of the aggregated protein complex. However, the regulation of native TTR in normal pregnancy remains unclear. In this study, we found that pregnant mice exhibited a remarkable and progressive decline in serum TTR levels through gestational day (gd) 12-14, followed by an increase in late pregnancy and postpartum. Meanwhile, serum albumin levels showed a modest but statistically significant increase throughout gestation. TTR protein and mRNA levels in the liver, a primary source of circulating TTR, mirrored the changes observed in serum TTR levels during gestation. Intriguingly, a similar pattern of TTR alteration was also observed in the serum of pregnant women and pregnant interleukin-10-knockout (IL-10-/-) mice with high inflammation background. In non-pregnant IL-10-/- mice, serum TTR levels were significantly lower than those in age-matched wild-type mice. Administration of IL-10 to non-pregnant IL-10-/- mice restored their serum TTR levels. Notably, dysregulation of TTR resulted in fewer implantation units, lower fetal weight, and smaller litter sizes in human TTR-overexpressing transgenic mice. Thus, TTR may play a pivotal role as a crucial regulator in normal pregnancy, and inflammation during pregnancy may contribute to the downregulation of serum TTR presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shibin Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Rhode Island and Brown University, Providence, RI 02905, USA;
| | - Zheping Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Rhode Island and Brown University, Providence, RI 02905, USA;
| | - Akitoshi Nakashima
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-8555, Japan;
| | - Surendra Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Rhode Island and Brown University, Providence, RI 02905, USA;
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Herrock O, Deer E, Amaral LM, Campbell N, Whitney D, Ingram N, Cornelius DC, Turner T, Hardy-Hardin J, Booz GW, Ibrahim T, LaMarca B. Inhibiting B cell activating factor attenuates preeclamptic symptoms in placental ischemic rats. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 89:e13693. [PMID: 36794639 PMCID: PMC10009902 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Preeclampsia (PE), new-onset hypertension during pregnancy, is associated with a pro-inflammatory state with activated T cells, cytolytic natural killer (NK) cells, dysregulated complement proteins, and B cells secreting agonistic autoantibodies to the angiotensin II type-1 receptor (AT1-AA). The reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) model of placental ischemia recapitulates these features of PE. Blocking CD40L-CD40 communication between T and B cells or B cell depletion with Rituximab prevents hypertension and AT1-AA production in RUPP rats. This suggests that T cell-dependent B cell activation contributes to the hypertension and AT1-AA associated with PE. B2 cells maturing into antibody producing plasma cells are the product of T cell-dependent B cell-interactions and B cell Activating Factor (BAFF) is an integral cytokine in the development of B2 cells specifically. Thus, we hypothesize that BAFF blockade will selectively deplete B2 cells, therefore reducing blood pressure, AT1-AA, activated NK Cells, and complement in the RUPP rat model of PE. METHOD OF STUDY Gestational Day (GD) 14 pregnant rats underwent the RUPP procedure, and a subset were treated with 1 mg/kg Anti-BAFF antibodies via jugular catheters. On GD19, blood pressure was measured, B cells and NK cells were measured by flow cytometry, AT1-AA was measured by cardiomyocyte bioassay, and complement activation was measured by ELISA. RESULTS Anti-BAFF therapy attenuated hypertension, AT1-AA, NK cell activation, and APRIL levels in RUPP rats without negatively impacting fetal outcomes. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that B2 cells contribute to hypertension, AT1-AA, and NK cell activation in response to placental ischemia during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Herrock
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Evangeline Deer
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Lorena M. Amaral
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Nathan Campbell
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Darby Whitney
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Nicole Ingram
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | | | - Ty Turner
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Ja’Nasa Hardy-Hardin
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - George W. Booz
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Tarek Ibrahim
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
| | - Babbette LaMarca
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS
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10
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An X, Qin J, Hu X, Zhou Y, Fu B, Wei H. Overexpression of lipocalin 2 in PBX1-deficient decidual NK cells promotes inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface. Am J Reprod Immunol 2023; 89:e13676. [PMID: 36621850 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Impairment of PBX1 expression in decidual natural killer (dNK) cells is associated with the pathogenesis of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion, which results in fetal growth restriction (FGR) by affecting the secretion of downstream growth factors. However, whether other mechanisms limit embryo growth in decidua containing PBX1-deficient natural killer (NK) cells is unknown. METHOD OF STUDY Pbx1f/f ; Ncr1Cre mice were employed to explore the underlying mechanisms by which PBX1- NK cells affect embryonic development. To simulate the clinical testing of pregnant women, Doppler ultrasound imaging was used to detect embryo implantation and development. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PBX1- NK cells that may affect normal pregnancy were screened using RNA-sequencing and real-time PCR. Immune cell changes caused by DEGs were detected by flow cytometry. Finally, the mechanism of FGR was explored by injecting the protein LCN2, corresponding to the selected DEG, into mice. RESULTS We verified the embryonic dysplasia in pregnant Pbx1f/f ; Ncr1Cre mice by Doppler ultrasound imaging and found that LCN2 was upregulated in dNK cells. We also observed higher infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages in the decidua of Pbx1f/f ; Ncr1Cre mice. Finally, we found an increase in the number and activation of neutrophils at the maternal-fetal interface after injecting LCN2 into pregnant mice and observed that these mice showed signs of FGR. CONCLUSION Excessive LCN2 secreted by PBX1- dNK cells at the maternal-fetal interface recruit neutrophils and causes an inflammatory response, which is related to FGR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue An
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Jingkun Qin
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Xinyu Hu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Yonggang Zhou
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Binqing Fu
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Haiming Wei
- The CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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11
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Vondra S, Höbler AL, Lackner AI, Raffetseder J, Mihalic ZN, Vogel A, Saleh L, Kunihs V, Haslinger P, Wahrmann M, Husslein H, Oberle R, Kargl J, Haider S, Latos P, Schabbauer G, Knöfler M, Ernerudh J, Pollheimer J. The human placenta shapes the phenotype of decidual macrophages. Cell Rep 2023; 42:111977. [PMID: 36640334 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
During human pregnancy, placenta-derived extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) invade the decidua and communicate with maternal immune cells. The decidua distinguishes into basalis (decB) and parietalis (decP). The latter remains unaffected by EVT invasion. By defining a specific gating strategy, we report the accumulation of macrophages in decB. We describe a decidua basalis-associated macrophage (decBAM) population with a differential transcriptome and secretome compared with decidua parietalis-associated macrophages (decPAMs). decBAMs are CD11chi and efficient inducers of Tregs, proliferate in situ, and secrete high levels of CXCL1, CXCL5, M-CSF, and IL-10. In contrast, decPAMs exert a dendritic cell-like, motile phenotype characterized by induced expression of HLA class II molecules, enhanced phagocytosis, and the ability to activate T cells. Strikingly, EVT-conditioned media convert decPAMs into a decBAM phenotype. These findings assign distinct macrophage phenotypes to decidual areas depending on placentation and further highlight a critical role for EVTs in the induction of decB-associated macrophage polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Vondra
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Maternal-fetal Immunology Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna-Lena Höbler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Maternal-fetal Immunology Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Ian Lackner
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Maternal-fetal Immunology Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Johanna Raffetseder
- Division of Inflammation and Infection (II), Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Zala Nikita Mihalic
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Pharmacology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Andrea Vogel
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Arginine Metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Leila Saleh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Placental Development Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Victoria Kunihs
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Placental Development Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Haslinger
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Maternal-fetal Immunology Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Markus Wahrmann
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, Department of Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Heinrich Husslein
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Raimund Oberle
- Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Institute of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Kargl
- Otto Loewi Research Center, Division of Pharmacology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Sandra Haider
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paulina Latos
- Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gernot Schabbauer
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Christian Doppler Laboratory for Arginine Metabolism in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Knöfler
- Institute for Vascular Biology, Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Ernerudh
- Department of Clinical Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jürgen Pollheimer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Biology Unit, Maternal-fetal Immunology Group, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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12
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Elkin ER, Su AL, Dou JF, Colacino JA, Bridges D, Padmanabhan V, Harris SM, Boldenow E, Loch-Caruso R, Bakulski KM. Sexually concordant and dimorphic transcriptional responses to maternal trichloroethylene and/or N-acetyl cysteine exposure in Wistar rat placental tissue. Toxicology 2023; 483:153371. [PMID: 36396003 PMCID: PMC10078828 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2022.153371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Numerous Superfund sites are contaminated with the volatile organic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE). In women, exposure to TCE in pregnancy is associated with reduced birth weight. Our previous study reported that TCE exposure in pregnant rats decreased fetal weight and elevated oxidative stress biomarkers in placentae, suggesting placental injury as a potential mechanism of TCE-induced adverse birth outcomes. In this study, we investigated if co-exposure with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) attenuates TCE exposure effects on RNA expression. Timed-pregnant Wistar rats were exposed orally to 480 mg TCE/kg/day on gestation days 6-16. Exposure of 200 mg NAC/kg/day alone or as a pre/co-exposure with TCE occurred on gestation days 5-16 to stimulate antioxidant genes prior to TCE exposure. Tissue was collected on gestation day 16. In male and female placentae, we evaluated TCE- and/or NAC-induced changes to gene expression and pathway enrichment analyses using false discovery rate (FDR) and fold-change criteria. In female placentae, exposure to TCE caused significant differential expression 129 genes while the TCE+NAC altered 125 genes, compared with controls (FDR< 0.05 + fold-change >1). In contrast, in male placentae TCE exposure differentially expressed 9 genes and TCE+NAC differentially expressed 35 genes, compared with controls (FDR< 0.05 + fold-change >1). NAC alone did not significantly alter gene expression in either sex. Differentially expressed genes observed with TCE exposure were enriched in mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways in females whereas immune system pathways and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways were differentially expressed in both sexes (FDR<0.05). TCE treatment was differentially enriched for genes regulated by the transcription factors ATF6 (both sexes) and ATF4 (males only), indicating a cellular condition triggered by misfolded proteins during endoplasmic reticulum stress. This study demonstrates novel genes and pathways involved in TCE-induced placental injury and showed antioxidant co-treatment largely did not attenuate TCE exposure effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elana R Elkin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Anthony L Su
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - John F Dou
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Justin A Colacino
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dave Bridges
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vasantha Padmanabhan
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sean M Harris
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Erica Boldenow
- Department of Biology, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Rita Loch-Caruso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kelly M Bakulski
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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13
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Lodge-Tulloch NA, Toews AJ, Atallah A, Cotechini T, Girard S, Graham CH. Cross-Generational Impact of Innate Immune Memory Following Pregnancy Complications. Cells 2022; 11:cells11233935. [PMID: 36497193 PMCID: PMC9741472 DOI: 10.3390/cells11233935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy complications can have long-term negative effects on the health of the affected mothers and their children. In this review, we highlight the underlying inflammatory etiologies of common pregnancy complications and discuss how aberrant inflammation may lead to the acquisition of innate immune memory. The latter can be described as a functional epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells following an initial exposure to an inflammatory stimulus, ultimately resulting in an altered response following re-exposure to a similar inflammatory stimulus. We propose that aberrant maternal inflammation associated with complications of pregnancy increases the cross-generational risk of developing noncommunicable diseases (i.e., pregnancy complications, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease) through a process mediated by innate immune memory. Elucidating a role for innate immune memory in the cross-generational health consequences of pregnancy complications may lead to the development of novel strategies aimed at reducing the long-term risk of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexa J. Toews
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Aline Atallah
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Tiziana Cotechini
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Sylvie Girard
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Charles H. Graham
- Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
- Correspondence:
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14
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IL-10: A bridge between immune cells and metabolism during pregnancy. J Reprod Immunol 2022; 154:103750. [PMID: 36156316 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Energy metabolism plays a crucial role in the immune system. In addition to providing vital energy for cell growth, reproduction and other cell activities, the metabolism of nutrients such as glucose and lipids also have significant effects on cell function through metabolites, metabolic enzymes, and changing metabolic status. Interleukin-10 (IL-10), as a pleiotropic regulator, can be secreted by a diverse set of cells and can also participate in regulating the functions of various cells, thereby playing an essential role in the formation and maintenance of immune tolerance in pregnancy. Studies on the regulatory effects and mechanisms of IL-10 on immune cells are extensive; however, research from a metabolic perspective is relatively negligible. Here, we have discussed old and new data on the relationship between IL-10 and metabolism. The data show that alterations in cellular metabolism and specific metabolites regulate IL-10 production of immune cells. Moreover, IL-10 regulates immune cell phenotypes and functions by modulating oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. This review summarizes some earlier observations regarding IL-10 and its relationship with immune cells in pregnancy, and also presents recent research on the link between IL-10 and metabolism, highlighting the potential relationship between IL-10, immune cells, and energy metabolism during pregnancy.
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15
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Kumar M, Saadaoui M, Al Khodor S. Infections and Pregnancy: Effects on Maternal and Child Health. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:873253. [PMID: 35755838 PMCID: PMC9217740 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.873253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy causes physiological and immunological adaptations that allow the mother and fetus to communicate with precision in order to promote a healthy pregnancy. At the same time, these adaptations may make pregnant women more susceptible to infections, resulting in a variety of pregnancy complications; those pathogens may also be vertically transmitted to the fetus, resulting in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Even though the placenta has developed a robust microbial defense to restrict vertical microbial transmission, certain microbial pathogens have evolved mechanisms to avoid the placental barrier and cause congenital diseases. Recent mechanistic studies have begun to uncover the striking role of the maternal microbiota in pregnancy outcomes. In this review, we discuss how microbial pathogens overcome the placental barrier to cause congenital diseases. A better understanding of the placental control of fetal infection should provide new insights into future translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kumar
- Research Department, Sidra Medicine, Doha, Qatar
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16
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Liu ZZ, Sun JH, Wang WJ. Gut microbiota in gastrointestinal diseases during pregnancy. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:2976-2989. [PMID: 35647135 PMCID: PMC9082698 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i10.2976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gut microbiota (GM) is a micro-ecosystem composed of all microorganisms in the human intestine. The interaction between GM and the host plays an important role in maintaining normal physiological functions in the host. Dysbiosis of the GM may cause various diseases. GM has been demonstrated to be associated with human health and disease, and changes during individual development and disease. Pregnancy is a complicated physiological process. Hormones, the immune system, metabolism, and GM undergo drastic changes during pregnancy. Gastrointestinal diseases during pregnancy, such as hepatitis, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, and pre-eclampsia, can affect both maternal and fetal health. The dysregulation of GM during pregnancy may lead to a variety of diseases, including gastrointestinal diseases. Herein, we review recent research articles on GM in pregnancy-related gastrointestinal diseases, discuss the interaction of the GM with the host under normal physiological conditions, gastrointestinal diseases, and pregnancy-specific disorders. As more attention is paid to reproductive health, the pathogenic mechanism of GM in gastrointestinal diseases during pregnancy will be further studied to provide a theoretical basis for the use of probiotics to treat these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhong-Zhen Liu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jing-Hua Sun
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong Province, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wen-Jing Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, Guangdong Province, China
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17
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Salazar MD, Wang WJ, Skariah A, He Q, Field K, Nixon M, Reed R, Dambaeva S, Beaman K, Gilman-Sachs A, Kwak-Kim J. Post-hoc evaluation of peripheral blood natural killer cell cytotoxicity in predicting the risk of recurrent pregnancy losses and repeated implantation failures. J Reprod Immunol 2022; 150:103487. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2022.103487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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18
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Price HR, Pang N, Kim H, Coughtrie MWH, Collier AC. Protective placental inflammatory and oxidative stress responses are attenuated in the context of twin pregnancy and chorioamnionitis in assisted reproduction. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:227-238. [PMID: 34988769 PMCID: PMC8866596 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02371-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Assisted reproduction technologies (ART) are associated with increased risks of pregnancy complications and obstetric interventions. Here, we aimed to determine if ART affects placental inflammation and oxidative stress as a mechanism for unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. METHODS The levels of six cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNFα) were measured using multiplex ELISA. The activity of four antioxidant enzymes (glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase) and levels of two antioxidants (GSH, vitamin E) were measured using commercial/in-house assays. Markers were compared between ART and unassisted pregnancies, and then groups were stratified using ICD9/10 codes to determine differences in specific clinical contexts. RESULTS In unassisted twin pregnancies, there was a trend of decreased cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, p < 0.05), but cytokines in ART twins were the same or higher. Additionally, GST and GPx activities were lower in unassisted twins, and vitamin E levels were higher in ART twins (p < 0.05). In pregnancies complicated by chorioamnionitis, there was a trend of increased cytokine levels in unassisted pregnancies (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, p < 0.05). No increase was observed in ART, and IFN-γ and TNFα were decreased (p < 0.05). Placental GST and GPx activities were higher in unassisted pregnancies with chorioamnionitis compared to ART (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Attenuation of protective placental inflammatory and oxidative stress responses may play a role in the underlying pathogenesis of negative birth outcomes in ART, expanding our understanding of adverse pregnancy outcomes when ART is used to conceive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley R. Price
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z3 Canada
| | - Nick Pang
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z3 Canada
| | - Hugh Kim
- Centre for Blood Research, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada ,Faculty of Dentistry, The University of British Columbia, 2199 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada ,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3 Canada
| | - Michael W. H. Coughtrie
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z3 Canada
| | - Abby C. Collier
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of British Columbia, 2405 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z3 Canada
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19
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Arita Y, Kirk M, Gupta N, Antony R, Park HJ, Stecker MM, Peltier MR. Effect of 2,6-xylidine (DMA) on secretion of biomarkers for inflammation and neurodevelopment by the placenta. J Reprod Immunol 2021; 149:103458. [PMID: 34952372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2021.103458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cigarette smoke enhances placental inflammation and interferes with steroidogenesis. However, the chemicals in the smoke responsible for these biological activities are unclear. 2,6 xylidine (also called 2,6 Dimethylaniline, DMA) is a component of cigarette smoke that has carcinogenic properties but its effects on the placenta are unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that DMA may interfere with placental steroidogenesis or enhance placental inflammation. Placental explant cultures were treated with 0-50,000 nM DMA and concentrations of progesterone (P4), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, sgp130, HO-1, IL-10, 8-Isoprostane (8-IsoP), and BDNF in the conditioned medium were quantified. Since many environmental toxins enhance the proinflammatory host response to infection, we also performed experiments on placental cultures co-stimulated with 107 heat-killed E. coli. DMA alone significantly reduced P4 and T secretion but enhanced E2 secretion. The toxin also reduced placental secretion of IL-6, sgp130, and BDNF. For bacteria-stimulated cultures, DMA increased secretion of P4 and T, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) but had mixed effects on anti-inflammatory markers, increasing some (sgp130, IL-10) and reducing others (HO-1). However, DMA enhanced 8-IsoP levels by bacteria-stimulated placental cultures, suggesting that it increases oxidative stress by the tissues. These studies suggest that DMA affects secretion of biomarkers by the placenta and may promote inflammation. Further studies are needed to determine if these observed changes occur in vivo and the extent to which DMA exposure increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with smoking in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuko Arita
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Michael Kirk
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Neha Gupta
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Ronny Antony
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Hyeon-Jeong Park
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States
| | - Mark M Stecker
- Fresno Institute of Neuroscience, Fresno, CA, United States
| | - Morgan R Peltier
- Department of Foundations of Medicine, NYU-Long Island School of Medicine, NY, 11501, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ, 07753, United States.
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20
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Gomez-Lopez N, Garcia-Flores V, Chin PY, Groome HM, Bijland MT, Diener KR, Romero R, Robertson SA. Macrophages exert homeostatic actions in pregnancy to protect against preterm birth and fetal inflammatory injury. JCI Insight 2021; 6:146089. [PMID: 34622802 PMCID: PMC8525593 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.146089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Macrophages are commonly thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of preterm labor by amplifying inflammation — but a protective role has not previously been considered to our knowledge. We hypothesized that given their antiinflammatory capability in early pregnancy, macrophages exert essential roles in maintenance of late gestation and that insufficient macrophages may predispose individuals to spontaneous preterm labor and adverse neonatal outcomes. Here, we showed that women with spontaneous preterm birth had reduced CD209+CD206+ expression in alternatively activated CD45+CD14+ICAM3– macrophages and increased TNF expression in proinflammatory CD45+CD14+CD80+HLA-DR+ macrophages in the uterine decidua at the materno-fetal interface. In Cd11bDTR/DTR mice, depletion of maternal CD11b+ myeloid cells caused preterm birth, neonatal death, and postnatal growth impairment, accompanied by uterine cytokine and leukocyte changes indicative of a proinflammatory response, while adoptive transfer of WT macrophages prevented preterm birth and partially rescued neonatal loss. In a model of intra-amniotic inflammation–induced preterm birth, macrophages polarized in vitro to an M2 phenotype showed superior capacity over nonpolarized macrophages to reduce uterine and fetal inflammation, prevent preterm birth, and improve neonatal survival. We conclude that macrophages exert a critical homeostatic regulatory role in late gestation and are implicated as a determinant of susceptibility to spontaneous preterm birth and fetal inflammatory injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, US Department of Health and Human Services; Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and.,Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Valeria Garcia-Flores
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, US Department of Health and Human Services; Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and
| | - Peck Yin Chin
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Holly M Groome
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Melanie T Bijland
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Kerrilyn R Diener
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,University of South Australia Cancer Research Institute, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Roberto Romero
- Perinatology Research Branch, Division of Obstetrics and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Division of Intramural Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, US Department of Health and Human Services; Bethesda, Maryland, and Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.,Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.,Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sarah A Robertson
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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21
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Cao L, Tang Y, Niu X, Guo Q, Huang L. Mifepristone regulates macrophage-mediated natural killer cells function in decidua. Reprod Biol 2021; 21:100541. [PMID: 34365238 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2021.100541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mifepristone has been used for first-trimester abortion and contraception. Nevertheless, its functional mechanism still needs to be elucidated. Decidua tissues were collected from 40 pregnant women who received (20 patients) or did not receive (20 patients) mifepristone. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the effect of mifepristone on the quantity of CD56 and CD206 in decidua. in vitro assay, NK cells were isolated from decidua tissue and macrophages were induced from THP-1 cells. NK cells were co-cultured with macrophages pre-treated different concentrations of mifepristone (0 nmol/L, 200 nmol/L, 1800 nmol/L, and 25000 nmol/L); the cells' cytotoxicity and migration ability were analyzed using MTT assay and transwell assay, respectively. Si-TGF-β1, which was utilized to knock down the TGF-β1 expression in macrophages and human recombinant TGF-β1 were used to verify whether TGF-β1 was involved in the mifepristone regulation of NK cells function. The quantity of CD56 and CD206 decreased after mifepristone treatment. Moreover, the NK cells' cytotoxicity and migration ability were significantly increased by macrophages pre-treated with mifepristone in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compared with the si-NC group, the MTT absorbance rate of NK cells was significantly increased in the si-TGF-β1 group and was decreased in the human recombinant TGF-β1 group. Our data suggest that mifepristone, which regulates NK cells function through macrophages, was associated with the changes in TGF-β1 secreted by macrophages. This may be one of the mechanisms of mifepristone acting as contraceptive and abortion drugs at the maternal-fetal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Cao
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yibo Tang
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaocen Niu
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qingyun Guo
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lili Huang
- Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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22
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Liu Y, Du M, Lin HY. Histone deacetylase 9 deficiency exaggerates uterine M2 macrophage polarization. J Cell Mol Med 2021; 25:7690-7708. [PMID: 34145738 PMCID: PMC8358884 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.16616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The maternal‐foetal interface is an immune‐privileged site where the semi‐allogeneic embryo is protected from attacks by the maternal immune system. Uterine macrophages are key players in establishing and maintaining pregnancy, and the dysregulation of the M1‐M2 subpopulation balance causes abortion. We separated two distinct mouse uterine macrophage subpopulations during early pregnancy, CD45+F4/80+CD206− M1‐like (M1) and CD45+F4/80+CD206+ M2‐like (M2) cells. The M1 preponderance was significantly exaggerated at 6 hours after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, and adoptive transfer of M2 macrophages partially rescued LPS‐induced abortion. RNA sequencing analysis of mouse uterine M2 versus M1 revealed 1837 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), among which 629 was up‐regulated and 1208 was down‐regulated. Histone deacetylase 9 (Hdac9) was one of the DEGs and validated to be significantly up‐regulated in uterine M2 as compared with M1. Remarkably, this differential expression profile between M1 and M2 was also evident in primary splenic macrophages and in vitro polarized murine peritoneal, bone marrow–derived and RAW 264.7 macrophages. In Hdac9/HDAC9 knockout RAW 264.7 and human THP‐1–derived macrophages, the expression of M1 differentiation markers was unchanged or decreased whereas M2 markers were increased compared with the wild‐type cells, and these effects were unrelated to compromised proliferation. Furthermore, Hdac9/HDAC9 ablation significantly enhanced the phagocytosis of fluorescent microspheres in M2 Raw 264.7 cells yet decreased the capacity of THP‐1‐derived M1 macrophages. The above results demonstrate that Hdac9/HDAC9 deficiency exaggerates M2 macrophage polarization in mouse and human macrophages, which may provide clues for our understanding of the epigenetic regulation on macrophage M1/M2 polarization in maternal‐foetal tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanqin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Meirong Du
- Gynecology and Obstetrics Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai-Yan Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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23
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Bortell N, Aguilera ER, Lenz LL. Pulmonary insults exacerbate susceptibility to oral Listeria monocytogenes infection through the production of IL-10 by NK cells. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009531. [PMID: 33878120 PMCID: PMC8087096 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Most individuals who consume foods contaminated with the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) develop mild symptoms, while others are susceptible to life-threatening systemic infections (listeriosis). Although it is known that the risk of severe disease is increased in certain human populations, including the elderly, it remains unclear why others who consume contaminated food develop listeriosis. Here, we used a murine model to discover that pulmonary coinfections can impair the host's ability to adequately control and eradicate systemic Lm that cross from the intestines to the bloodstream. We found that the resistance of mice to oral Lm infection was dramatically reduced by coinfection with Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), a bacterium that colonizes the respiratory tract and can also cause severe infections in the elderly. Exposure to Spn or microbial products, including a recombinant Lm protein (L1S) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), rendered otherwise resistant hosts susceptible to severe systemic Lm infection. In addition, we show that this increase in susceptibility was dependent on an increase in the production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) from Ncr1+ cells, including natural killer (NK) cells. Lastly, the ability of Ncr1+ cell derived IL-10 to increase disease susceptibility correlated with a dampening of both myeloid cell accumulation and myeloid cell phagocytic capacity in infected tissues. These data suggest that efforts to minimize inflammation in response to an insult at the respiratory mucosa render the host more susceptible to infections by Lm and possibly other pathogens that access the oral mucosa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikki Bortell
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth R. Aguilera
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Laurel L. Lenz
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States of America
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24
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Chu A, Kok SY, Tsui J, Lin MC, Aguirre B, Wadehra M. Epithelial membrane protein 2 (Emp2) modulates innate immune cell population recruitment at the maternal-fetal interface. J Reprod Immunol 2021; 145:103309. [PMID: 33774530 DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2021.103309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) is a tetraspan membrane protein that has been revealed in cancer and placental models to mediate a number of vascular responses. Recently, Emp2 modulation has been shown to have an immunologic effect on uterine NK cell recruitment in the mouse placenta. Given the importance of immune cell populations on both placental vascularization and maternal immune tolerance of the developing fetus, we wanted to better characterize the immunologic effects of Emp2 at the placental-fetal interface. We performed flow cytometry of WT and Emp2 KO C57Bl/6 mouse uterine horns at GD12.5 to characterize immune cell populations localized to the various components of the maternal-fetal interface. We found that Emp2 KO decidua and placenta showed an elevated overall percentage of CD45+ cells compared to WT. Characterization of CD45+ cells in the decidua of Emp2 KO dams revealed an increase in NK cells, whereas in the placenta, Emp2 KO dams showed an increased percentage of M1 macrophages (with an increased ratio of M1/M2 macrophages). Given the differences detected in uNK cell populations in the decidua, we further characterized the interaction between Emp2 genetic KO and NK cell deletion via anti-asialo GM1 antibody injections. While the double knock-out of Emp2 and NK cells did not alter individual pup birthweight, it significantly reduced total litter weight and size by ∼50 %. In conclusion, Emp2 appears to regulate uNK and macrophage cell populations in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Chu
- Division of Neonatology and Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, MDCC B2-411, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Su-Yin Kok
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 4525 MacDonald Research Laboratories, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Jessica Tsui
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 4525 MacDonald Research Laboratories, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Meng-Chin Lin
- Division of Neonatology and Developmental Biology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, MDCC B2-411, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Brian Aguirre
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 4525 MacDonald Research Laboratories, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Madhuri Wadehra
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 4525 MacDonald Research Laboratories, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, 4525 MacDonald Research Laboratories, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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25
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Li T, Cui L, Xu X, Zhang H, Jiang Y, Ren L, Yang C, Liu X, Hu X. The Role of Tim-3 on dNK Cells Dysfunction During Abnormal Pregnancy With Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:587150. [PMID: 33718261 PMCID: PMC7953497 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.587150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertical transmission of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection during gestation can result in severe complications such as abortion, congenital malformation, fetal teratogenesis, etc. Immune inhibitory molecule Tim-3 was discovered to be expressed on some decidual immune cells and participates in the maintenance of maternal-fetal tolerance. Dysregulation of Tim-3 expression on decidual NK (dNK) cells was observed in several cases of pregnancy complications, whereas the role of Tim-3 on dNK cells during T. gondii infection remains unclear. In the present study, T. gondii infected Tim-3-/- pregnant mice, and anti-Tim-3 neutralizing antibody treated and infected human dNK cells were successfully established to explore the role of Tim-3 in dysfunction of dNK cells during abnormal pregnancy. Our results illustrated that Tim-3-/- pregnant mice displayed more worse pregnancy outcomes with T. gondii infection compared to infected WT pregnant mice. Also, it demonstrated that Tim-3 expression on dNK cells was significantly down-regulated following T. gondii infection. Data suggested a remarkable activation of dNK cells in Tim-3-/- mice and anti-Tim-3 neutralizing antibody treated and infected groups, with higher ratios of activating receptor NKG2D to inhibitory receptor NKG2A or KIR2DL4, IFN-γ/IL-10, and increased granule production compared with that of the infected group. Mechanism analysis proved that T. gondii-induced Tim-3 down-regulation significantly activated the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT and JAK-STAT signaling pathway, by which the GranzymeB, Perforin, IFN-γ, and IL-10 production were further up-regulated. Our research demonstrated that the decrease of Tim-3 on dNK cells caused by T. gondii infection further led to dNK cells function disorder, which finally contributed to the development of abnormal pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Li
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Lijun Cui
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Xu
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Haixia Zhang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Yuzhu Jiang
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Liqin Ren
- Medicine & Pharmacy Research Center, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Chunyan Yang
- School of Stomatology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xianbing Liu
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
| | - Xuemei Hu
- Department of Immunology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China
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26
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Xu L, Li Y, Sang Y, Li DJ, Du M. Crosstalk Between Trophoblasts and Decidual Immune Cells: The Cornerstone of Maternal-Fetal Immunotolerance. Front Immunol 2021; 12:642392. [PMID: 33717198 PMCID: PMC7947923 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.642392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of pregnancy relies on the fine adjustment of the maternal immune system to tolerate the allogeneic fetus. Trophoblasts carrying paternal antigens are the only fetal-derived cells that come into direct contact with the maternal immune cells at the maternal–fetal interface. The crosstalk between trophoblasts and decidual immune cells (DICs) via cell–cell direct interaction and soluble factors such as chemokines and cytokines is a core event contributing to the unique immunotolerant microenvironment. Abnormal trophoblasts–DICs crosstalk can lead to dysregulated immune situations, which is well known to be a potential cause of a series of pregnancy complications including recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA), which is the most common one. Immunotherapy has been applied to RSA. However, its development has been far less rapid or mature than that of cancer immunotherapy. Elucidating the mechanism of maternal–fetal immune tolerance, the theoretical basis for RSA immunotherapy, not only helps to understand the establishment and maintenance of normal pregnancy but also provides new therapeutic strategies and promotes the progress of immunotherapy against pregnancy-related diseases caused by disrupted immunotolerance. In this review, we focus on recent progress in the maternal–fetal immune tolerance mediated by trophoblasts–DICs crosstalk and clinical application of immunotherapy in RSA. Advancement in this area will further accelerate the basic research and clinical transformation of reproductive immunity and tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Xu
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanhong Li
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifei Sang
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Da-Jin Li
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China
| | - Meirong Du
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, NHC Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
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27
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Marinić M, Mika K, Chigurupati S, Lynch VJ. Evolutionary transcriptomics implicates HAND2 in the origins of implantation and regulation of gestation length. eLife 2021; 10:61257. [PMID: 33522483 PMCID: PMC7943190 DOI: 10.7554/elife.61257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The developmental origins and evolutionary histories of cell types, tissues, and organs contribute to the ways in which their dysfunction produces disease. In mammals, the nature, development and evolution of maternal-fetal interactions likely influence diseases of pregnancy. Here we show genes that evolved expression at the maternal-fetal interface in Eutherian mammals play essential roles in the evolution of pregnancy and are associated with immunological disorders and preterm birth. Among these genes is HAND2, a transcription factor that suppresses estrogen signaling, a Eutherian innovation allowing blastocyst implantation. We found dynamic HAND2 expression in the decidua throughout the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, gradually decreasing to a low at term. HAND2 regulates a distinct set of genes in endometrial stromal fibroblasts including IL15, a cytokine also exhibiting dynamic expression throughout the menstrual cycle and gestation, promoting migration of natural killer cells and extravillous cytotrophoblasts. We demonstrate that HAND2 promoter loops to an enhancer containing SNPs implicated in birth weight and gestation length regulation. Collectively, these data connect HAND2 expression at the maternal-fetal interface with evolution of implantation and gestational regulation, and preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirna Marinić
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Katelyn Mika
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | | | - Vincent J Lynch
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, United States
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28
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Abstract
In this article, the authors provide a general overview of the major immune cells present at the maternal-fetal interface, describe the key mechanisms used by the placenta to promote maternal immune regulation, tolerance, and adaptation, and discuss how dysregulation of these pathways could lead to obstetric complications such as pregnancy loss and preeclampsia. Finally, they conclude with a description of the innate immune properties of the human placenta that not only serve to protect the pregnancy from infection but also contribute to pregnancy complications such as preterm birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mancy Tong
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, 310 Cedar Street, LSOG 309A, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Vikki M Abrahams
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, 310 Cedar Street, LSOG 305C, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
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29
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Yao T, Hou H, Liu G, Wu J, Qin Z, Sun Y, Jin X, Chen J, Chen Y, Xu Z. Quantitative proteomics suggest a potential link between early embryonic death and trisomy 16. Reprod Fertil Dev 2020; 31:1116-1126. [PMID: 30922443 DOI: 10.1071/rd17319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling, alteration of the uterine microenvironment and a reduction in human chorionic gonadotrophin production have been linked with fetal trisomy 16-induced early embryonic death (EED). However, the detailed biological mechanism of EED remains unclear. Using quantitative proteomics we successfully screened differentially expressed proteins in the villous tissues from patients with EED and fetal trisomy 16 (EEDT16), patients with EED but normal fetal chromosomes (EEDNC) and patients undergoing elective abortion with normal fetal chromosomes (EANC) as the reference group. Compared with the reference group, we identified 337 and 220 differentially expressed proteins in EEDT16 patients and EEDNC patients respectively; these were involved in critical biological processes including immune response, superoxide metabolism, inflammatory responses and so on. We found that differential expression of immunological function-related molecules, such as human leukocyte antigen-g (HLA-G), HLA-C, Fc Fragment Of IgG Receptor III (FcγR III), also named CD16, interleukin 18 (IL-18) and transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), might induce EED in both EEDT16 and EEDNC patients. More severe immunological dysfunction was observed in EEDT16 patients than that in EEDNC patients. Furthermore, differential expression of implantation and invasion-related molecules, such as cytochrome b-245 light chain (CYBA), neutrophil cytosol factor 2 (NCF2), Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 4 (MAP3K4), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), MMP9 and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) might induce EED in both EEDT16 and EEDNC patients, although more severe dysfunction in the implantation and invasion ability of villous tissues was observed in EEDT16 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Yao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, No. 6 Changjiang Road, Nankai District, Tianjin 300100, China; and Central Laboratory, Logistics University of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin 300309, China
| | - Haiyan Hou
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Guozhong Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CongraMarie Women and Children's Hospital, Tianjin 300100, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Program in Public Health, Anteater Instruction & Research Bldg (AIRB) # 2034, University of California, Irvine CA 92697-3957, USA
| | - Zhe Qin
- Central Laboratory, Logistics University of Chinese People's Armed Police Force, Tianjin 300309, China; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Yang Sun
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Xiaohan Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China; and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodelling and Target Organ Injury, Pingjin Hospital Heart Centre, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China
| | - Yaqiong Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China; and Corresponding authors. Emails: ;
| | - Zhongwei Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Affiliated Hospital of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force Logistics College, Tianjin 300162, China; and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Remodelling and Target Organ Injury, Pingjin Hospital Heart Centre, Tianjin 300162, China; and Corresponding authors. Emails: ;
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30
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Huber WJ, Sauerbrun-Cutler MT, Krueger PM, Lambert-Messerlian G, Sharma S. Human chorionic gonadotropin-mediated modulation of pregnancy-compatible peripheral blood natural killer cells in frozen embryo transfer cycles. Am J Reprod Immunol 2020; 85:e13324. [PMID: 33245601 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM To evaluate pregnancy-compatible phenotypic and functional changes in peripheral blood natural killer (pNK) cells during frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. METHOD OF STUDY Peripheral blood was collected from patients undergoing frozen embryo transfer cycles at three separate time points in the cycle. pNK cell phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometry. Impact of pregnancy status on pNK cell cytotoxicity was characterized by two methods: (1) a three-dimensional endovascular tube formation approach and (2) a NK cell-specific K562 cell kill assay. RESULTS A total of 35 patients were enrolled, 15 with clinical pregnancies and 20 with negative serum β-hCG levels. Overall percentage of CD45+ CD3- CD56+ pNK cell did not change during the FET cycle. Pregnancy resulted in an increase in CD45+ CD3- CD56+ pNK cell population on the day of serum β-hCG. pNK cells from non-pregnant patients caused significant tube disruption when compared to pregnant patients. Addition of serum from pregnant women reduced the tube disruption by pNK cells from non-pregnant patients. pNK cells from pregnant patients showed significantly lower cytotoxicity toward K562 cells in serum-free conditions. The addition of pregnancy serum decreased non-pregnant pNK cell cytotoxicity. Pregnancy status had no impact on VEGF-A and VEGF-C serum levels. Recombinant hCG added to non-pregnant serum resulted in a significant reduction in non-pregnant pNK cell-mediated K562 cell kill. CONCLUSION There was no difference in pNK cell populations based on timing of the FET cycle. However, pregnancy increased the percentage of CD45+ CD3- CD56+ pNK cells. Additionally, pNK cells from pregnant women have reduced cytotoxicity and this is possibly mediated by hCG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren J Huber
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - May-Tal Sauerbrun-Cutler
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Paula M Krueger
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Geralyn Lambert-Messerlian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women & Infants Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Women & Infants Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Surendra Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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31
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Krop J, Heidt S, Claas FHJ, Eikmans M. Regulatory T Cells in Pregnancy: It Is Not All About FoxP3. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1182. [PMID: 32655556 PMCID: PMC7324675 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In pregnancy, the semi-allogeneic fetus needs to be tolerated by the mother's immune system. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a prominent role in this process. Novel technologies allow for in-depth phenotyping of previously unidentified immune cell subsets, which has resulted in the appreciation of a vast heterogeneity of Treg subsets. Similar to other immunological events, there appears to be great diversity within the Treg population during pregnancy, both at the maternal-fetal interface as in the peripheral blood. Different Treg subsets have distinct phenotypes and various ways of functioning. Furthermore, the frequency of individual Treg subsets varies throughout gestation and is altered in aberrant pregnancies. This suggests that distinct Treg subsets play a role at different time points of gestation and that their role in maintaining healthy pregnancy is crucial, as reflected for instance by their reduced frequency in women with recurrent pregnancy loss. Since pregnancy is essential for the existence of mankind, multiple immune regulatory mechanisms and cell types are likely at play to assure successful pregnancy. Therefore, it is important to understand the complete microenvironment of the decidua, preferably in the context of the whole immune cell repertoire of the pregnant woman. So far, most studies have focused on a single mechanism or cell type, which often is the FoxP3 positive regulatory T cell when studying immune regulation. In this review, we instead focus on the contribution of FoxP3 negative Treg subsets to the decidual microenvironment and their possible role in pregnancy complications. Their phenotype, function, and effect in pregnancy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Krop
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sebastiaan Heidt
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Frans H J Claas
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Michael Eikmans
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
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St-Germain LE, Castellana B, Baltayeva J, Beristain AG. Maternal Obesity and the Uterine Immune Cell Landscape: The Shaping Role of Inflammation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3776. [PMID: 32471078 PMCID: PMC7312391 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [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: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is often equated to the physiological response to injury or infection. Inflammatory responses defined by cytokine storms control cellular mechanisms that can either resolve quickly (i.e., acute inflammation) or remain prolonged and unabated (i.e., chronic inflammation). Perhaps less well-appreciated is the importance of inflammatory processes central to healthy pregnancy, including implantation, early stages of placentation, and parturition. Pregnancy juxtaposed with disease can lead to the perpetuation of aberrant inflammation that likely contributes to or potentiates maternal morbidity and poor fetal outcome. Maternal obesity, a prevalent condition within women of reproductive age, associates with increased risk of developing multiple pregnancy disorders. Importantly, chronic low-grade inflammation is thought to underlie the development of obesity-related obstetric and perinatal complications. While diverse subsets of uterine immune cells play central roles in initiating and maintaining healthy pregnancy, uterine leukocyte dysfunction as a result of maternal obesity may underpin the development of pregnancy disorders. In this review we discuss the current knowledge related to the impact of maternal obesity and obesity-associated inflammation on uterine immune cell function, utero-placental establishment, and pregnancy health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E. St-Germain
- The British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (L.E.S.-G.); (B.C.); (J.B.)
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K8, Canada
| | - Barbara Castellana
- The British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (L.E.S.-G.); (B.C.); (J.B.)
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K8, Canada
| | - Jennet Baltayeva
- The British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (L.E.S.-G.); (B.C.); (J.B.)
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K8, Canada
| | - Alexander G. Beristain
- The British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; (L.E.S.-G.); (B.C.); (J.B.)
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6Z 2K8, Canada
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Modulation of IL10 and Its Receptor Subunits in Normal and Progesterone-Prolonged Gestation in the Mouse. Reprod Sci 2020; 27:555-560. [PMID: 32016805 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-019-00022-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
These experiments aimed to understand the relationship between interleukin 10 (IL10), the IL10 receptor subunits, and progesterone (P4) at the time of parturition. We hypothesized that there is a biologic connection between IL10 and P4, supporting an immunomodulatory mechanism for the onset of labor. Using samples from control and P4-treated pregnant mice, we assessed the production of IL10 and its receptor subunits (IL10Rα and IL10Rβ) in gestational tissues. After preliminary studies, P4-treated pregnant mice were compared with controls to assess for differences in IL10 and IL10 receptor subunit expression throughout gestation. To investigate the contribution of the P4 receptor at the onset of labor, we performed timed studies on pregnant mice after treatment with RU486. Samples collected included placentas, placentation sites, and maternal livers. IL10, IL10Rα, and IL10Rβ levels were measured in homogenized tissue using ELISA assays; the cytokine results were normalized for homogenate protein concentration. Control mice delivered on gd 18-19, and P4 treatment prevented parturition to beyond gd 20, as expected. In treated mice, P4 not only prevented the anticipated nadir of IL10 at term, but maintained elevated levels of IL10 through gd 20 (p < 0.05). P4 also reversed the anticipated decrease of the IL10Rα, which was increased in P4-treated mice (p < 0.05). Treatment with RU486 did not modulate the expression of IL10 or IL10Rα, but showed a significant decrease in the level of IL10Rβ (p < 0.05). Progesterone functions at least in part through the IL10 signaling pathway to prolong gestation.
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Abstract
Pregnancy, a challenging physiological state, requires shuffling of conventional immune work-sets. Strategies to tolerate the semi-allogenic fetus in normal human pregnancy are multivariate with perfect modulation of the immune cells. Pregnancy is marked by B cell lymphocytopenia accompanied by reduced responsiveness to infectious agents. Besides this old age concept, plenty of research confirms that B cells have other crucial roles in pregnancy and undergo a wide range of modifications in terms of its proliferation, switching between its subtypes, variation in antibody productions, shifting the tides of cytokines as well as regulating other immune cells. B cells establish tolerant environment in pregnancy by producing protective antibodies to encounter the foreign paternal antigens. Regulatory B cells (Bregs) have adopted anti-inflammatory characteristics to sustain normal pregnancy. Moreover, the colossal physiological alterations during human pregnancy also include synchronized changes in the cross-talks between the pregnancy hormones and B cells. These aspects of pregnancy from the view point of B cell functions have so far appeared individually in discrete reports. This review finds its novelty in concisely presenting every facet of association of B cell with human pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulagna Dutta
- Department of Oral Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Malaysia
| | - Pallav Sengupta
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Malaysia
| | - Nazmul Haque
- Department of Oral Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, MAHSA University, Jenjarom, Malaysia
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Tok A, Ozer A, Kanat-Pektas M, Aral M, Sakalli H, Aydogdu S, Yutan-Kaya E, Sager H. The role of omentin in early pregnancy losses. J OBSTET GYNAECOL 2019; 40:107-110. [PMID: 31495295 DOI: 10.1080/01443615.2019.1606179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This prospective case-control study aimed to investigate the role of omentin, an anti-inflammatory adipokine in early pregnancy losses. The study comprised 47 women with spontaneous miscarriage at a gestational age of 8-12 weeks and 36 healthy pregnant women, matched for age, body mass index and gestational age, gravdity and parity. A significant negative correlation was determined between plasma omentin concentrations and body weight (r= -0.242, p = .027) and gestational age (r= -0.249, p = .023). Although not statistically, the women with spontaneous miscarriage had higher plasma concentrations of omentin compared to those with healthy pregnancies (7.798 ± 3.453 ng/ml vs. 7.200 ± 3.442 ng/ml, p = .435). This finding might support the hypothesis that increased inflammation plays a role in the etiopathogenesis of early pregnancy losses. These results revealed the potential use of omentin to predict unhealthy pregnancies.Impact statementWhat is already known on the subject of the paper? The exact mechanism of early pregnancy loss with euploid foetal karyotype has not been elucidated yet. An alteration in the physiological inflammatory response of pregnancy might be one of the mechanisms responsible for miscarriage.What does this study add? To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the role of omentin in early pregnancy loss. The results obtained from this current study could be used to clarify the relationship between inflammatory processes and miscarriage.What are the implications for clinical practice and/or further research? Identification of the role of omentin in the process of early pregnancy losses would be helpful in order to design further studies to determine the feasibility of using omentin as a serum marker to predict the risk of miscarriage in early pregnancies. Additionally, understanding of the etiopathogenesis of early pregnancy losses with euploid karyotype will give a lead to further researches which could focus on exploring new interventions to detect and treat altered inflammation in early pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Tok
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Alev Ozer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Mine Kanat-Pektas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Murat Aral
- Department of Microbiology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Hilal Sakalli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Sakir Aydogdu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Esra Yutan-Kaya
- Department of Microbiology, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
| | - Hatice Sager
- Department of Biochemistry, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, Turkey
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Maternal pro-inflammatory state during pregnancy and newborn leukocyte telomere length: A prospective investigation. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 80:419-426. [PMID: 30974172 PMCID: PMC7954441 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Telomere biology plays a fundamental role in maintaining the integrity of the genome and cell, and shortened telomeres have been linked to several age-related diseases. The initial (newborn) telomere length (TL) represents a critically important feature of the telomere biology system. Exposure to a variety of adverse prenatal conditions such as maternal stress, suboptimal diet, obesity, and obstetric complications, is associated with shorter offspring TL at birth and in adult life. Many, if not all, of these exposures are believed to have an inflammatory component. In this context, stress-related immunological processes during pregnancy may constitute a potential additional biological pathway because they can affect telomere length and telomerase activity via transcriptions factors such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent transcription factor (ATF7) and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Thus, in the present study we examined the hypothesis that maternal pro-inflammatory state across pregnancy, operationalized as the balance between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, a major pro-inflammatory cytokine, and interleukin-10 (IL-10), the major anti-inflammatory cytokine, is associated with newborn leukocyte telomere length (LTL) at birth. METHODS AND MATERIALS Participants were healthy women (N = 112) recruited in early pregnancy. Concentrations of TNF- α and IL-10 were quantified in early, mid and late pregnancy from maternal blood samples. Telomere length was assessed in newborn blood samples soon after birth. RESULTS After adjusting for maternal age, maternal pre-pregnancy BMI, birth weight percentile, and infant sex, a higher mean TNF-α/IL-10 ratio across pregnancy was significantly associated with shorter newborn TL (β = -.205, p = .030). Newborn TL was, on average, 10% shorter in offspring of women in the upper compared to lower quartile of the TNF-α/IL-10 ratio during pregnancy. DISCUSSION These findings provide new evidence in humans for a potential "programming" mechanism linking maternal systemic pro-inflammatory processes during pregnancy with the initial (newborn) setting of her offspring's telomere system.
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Soares MJ, Varberg KM, Iqbal K. Hemochorial placentation: development, function, and adaptations. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:196-211. [PMID: 29481584 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioy049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Placentation is a reproductive adaptation that permits fetal growth and development within the protected confines of the female reproductive tract. Through this important role, the placenta also determines postnatal health and susceptibility to disease. The hemochorial placenta is a prominent feature in primate and rodent development. This manuscript provides an overview of the basics of hemochorial placental development and function, provides perspectives on major discoveries that have shaped placental research, and thoughts on strategies for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Soares
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA and the Center for Perinatal Research, Children΄s Research Institute, Children΄s Mercy, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Kaela M Varberg
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Khursheed Iqbal
- Institute for Reproduction and Perinatal Research and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
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38
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IL-10 producing B cells rescue mouse fetuses from inflammation-driven fetal death and are able to modulate T cell immune responses. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9335. [PMID: 31249364 PMCID: PMC6597542 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45860-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms leading to fetal death following maternal subclinical infections is crucial to develop new therapeutic strategies. Here we addressed the relevance of IL-10 secreting B cells (B10) in the maintenance of the immune balance during gestation. µMT females lacking mature B cells presented normal pregnancies, although their fetuses were smaller and their Treg pool did not expand as in B cell sufficient controls. Pregnant µMT females were more susceptible to LPS despite having less Treg; their fetuses died at doses compatible with pregnancy in WT animals. Adoptive transfer of IL-10 negative B effector cells or B cells from IL-10 deficient mice did not modify this outcome. The transfer of B10 cells or application of recombinant murine IL-10 reduced the fetal loss, associated with a normalization of Treg numbers and cytokine modulation at the feto-maternal interface. B cell-derived IL-10 suppressed the production of IL-17A and IL-6 by T cells and promoted the conversion of naïve cells into Treg. B10 cells are required to restore the immune balance at the feto-maternal interface when perturbed by inflammatory signals. Our data position B cells in a central role in the maintenance of the balance between immunity and tolerance during pregnancy.
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39
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Robertson SA, Green ES, Care AS, Moldenhauer LM, Prins JR, Hull ML, Barry SC, Dekker G. Therapeutic Potential of Regulatory T Cells in Preeclampsia-Opportunities and Challenges. Front Immunol 2019; 10:478. [PMID: 30984163 PMCID: PMC6448013 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Inflammation is a central feature and is implicated as a causal factor in preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Inflammatory mediators and leukocytes, which are elevated in peripheral blood and gestational tissues, contribute to the uterine vascular anomalies and compromised placental function that characterize particularly the severe, early onset form of disease. Regulatory T (Treg) cells are central mediators of pregnancy tolerance and direct other immune cells to counteract inflammation and promote robust placentation. Treg cells are commonly perturbed in preeclampsia, and there is evidence Treg cell insufficiency predates onset of symptoms. A causal role is implied by mouse studies showing sufficient numbers of functionally competent Treg cells must be present in the uterus from conception, to support maternal vascular adaptation and prevent later placental inflammatory pathology. Treg cells may therefore provide a tractable target for both preventative strategies and treatment interventions in preeclampsia. Steps to boost Treg cell activity require investigation and could be incorporated into pregnancy planning and preconception care. Pharmacological interventions developed to target Treg cells in autoimmune conditions warrant consideration for evaluation, utilizing rigorous clinical trial methodology, and ensuring safety is paramount. Emerging cell therapy tools involving in vitro Treg cell generation and/or expansion may in time become relevant. The success of preventative and therapeutic approaches will depend on resolving several challenges including developing informative diagnostic tests for Treg cell activity applicable before conception or during early pregnancy, selection of relevant patient subgroups, and identification of appropriate windows of gestation for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Robertson
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Ella S. Green
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Alison S. Care
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Lachlan M. Moldenhauer
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - M. Louise Hull
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Simon C. Barry
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Gustaaf Dekker
- Robinson Research Institute and Adelaide Medical School, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Aggarwal R, Jain AK, Mittal P, Kohli M, Jawanjal P, Rath G. Association of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in preeclampsia. J Clin Lab Anal 2019; 33:e22834. [PMID: 30666720 PMCID: PMC6528584 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.22834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines play crucial role in the development and functions of placenta. Any changes in these cytokines may be associated with many pregnancy‐related disorders like preeclampsia. Therefore, the present study is aimed to study the expression of pro‐inflammatory (TNF‐α, IL‐6) and anti‐inflammatory (IL‐4, IL‐10) cytokines in placenta and serum of preeclamptic pregnant women. Material and Methods For this study, a total of 194 cases of preeclamptic and control cases were enrolled in two Groups as per the gestational age that is, Group I (28‐36 weeks) and II (37 weeks onwards). The number of samples was 55 in Group I and 139 in Group II. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were conducted on placenta and serum of both preeclamptic and normal samples, respectively. IHC results were revalidated by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT‐PCR). Results Both Groups (I, II) of preeclampsia showed amended levels of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines in placental tissues and serum samples. The levels of TNF‐α and IL‐6 were significantly increased in preeclamptic cases (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001) while the IL‐4 and IL‐10 were downregulated (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001) in comparison to control. In addition, a negative correlation was also observed between the two in preeclampsia (P = 0.0001). Conclusion The balanced ratio of pro‐ and anti‐inflammatory cytokines is essential to regulate the maternal inflammation system throughout pregnancy. Therefore, the gradual cytokine profiling of the pregnant women may be useful for the management of preeclampsia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby Aggarwal
- Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India.,National Institute of Pathology (ICMR), New Delhi, India
| | | | - Pratima Mittal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Mangala Kohli
- Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Poonam Jawanjal
- Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
| | - Gayatri Rath
- Department of Anatomy, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Kim ML, Maloney C, Klimova N, Gurzenda E, Lin X, Arita Y, Walker T, Fazzari MJ, Hanna N. Repeated lipopolysaccharide exposure leads to placental endotoxin tolerance. Am J Reprod Immunol 2019; 81:e13080. [PMID: 30586203 DOI: 10.1111/aji.13080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PROBLEM Placental infection induces increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of pre-term labor. Endotoxin tolerance is a phenomenon in which exposure to a dose of endotoxin makes tissue less responsive to subsequent exposures. The objective of our study was to determine whether repeated exposure to endotoxin will induce a tolerant phenotype in normal human second-trimester placental tissue. METHODS OF STUDY Human second-trimester placental explants from elective termination of pregnancy were cultured and exposed to endotoxin (LPS). After 24 hours, the media was collected for analysis, and the explants were re-exposed to LPS after adding fresh media for another 24 hours. This process was repeated for a total of 4 LPS doses. The media was collected from each day and analyzed for cytokine levels. RESULTS The first LPS treatment stimulated the secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α. However, their production was significantly diminished with repeated LPS doses. Production of the anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-1ra and IL-10, was also stimulated by the first LPS treatment, but secretion was more gradually and moderately decreased with repeated LPS doses compared to the pro-inflammatory cytokines. The ratios of the anti-inflammatory/pro-inflammatory mediators (IL-1ra/IL-1β and IL-10/TNF-α) indicate a progressively more anti-inflammatory milieu with repeated LPS doses. CONCLUSION Repeated LPS exposure of human second-trimester placental tissues induced endotoxin tolerance. We speculate that endotoxin tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface will protect the fetus from exaggerated inflammatory responses after repeated infectious exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen L Kim
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York.,Department of Pediatrics, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York
| | - Caroline Maloney
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York.,Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine and Northwell/Hofstra, Hempstead, New York
| | - Natalia Klimova
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York.,University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, Lexington, Kentucky
| | - Ellen Gurzenda
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York
| | - Xinhua Lin
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York
| | - Yuko Arita
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York
| | | | - Melissa J Fazzari
- Department of Biostatistics, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York
| | - Nazeeh Hanna
- Women and Children's Research Laboratory, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York.,Department of Pediatrics, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Mineola, New York
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Pang XL, Yin TL, Yan WJ, Li J, He F, Yang J. Molecular detection of uterine innate lymphoid cells in the immunological mouse model of pregnancy loss. Int Immunopharmacol 2018; 68:1-6. [PMID: 30597415 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2018.12.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are newly identified members of the innate lymphocyte family, which can function as adaptive T cells and act as critical modulators of inflammatory processes within different tissues and immune diseases. The role of uterine ILCs (uILCs) has recently been elucidated alongside changes associated with normal pregnancy. However, the proportions of uterine ILCs and their role in unsuccessful pregnancy remain unclear. We analyzed the characterization of uILC subsets and the expression of signature cytokines associated with ILCs in a mouse model of unsuccessful pregnancy induced by LPS, and we describe the dynamic changes they undergo during this process. We found that mice exposed to LPS display significantly higher levels of uNK cells, and uILC3s. However, a lower proportion of uILC2s and uILC1s were detected in abortion mice. In addition, we found that abortion mice display markedly higher expression of IFN-γ and IL-A17, and lower levels of IL-5. No significant differences in the expression of IL-13 and IL-22 were observed. The findings suggest that uILCs play distinct non-redundant roles during pregnancy, and uILCs may affect maternal-fetal tolerance via IL-17A, IL-5, and IFN-γ production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-Li Pang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, P.R.C; Clinic Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Embryonic Development in Hubei province, Wuhan, China
| | - Tai-Lang Yin
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, P.R.C; Clinic Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Embryonic Development in Hubei province, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen-Jie Yan
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, P.R.C; Clinic Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Embryonic Development in Hubei province, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, P.R.C; Clinic Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Embryonic Development in Hubei province, Wuhan, China
| | - Fan He
- Department of Nephrology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Jing Yang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430060, Hubei Province, P.R.C; Clinic Research Center for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Embryonic Development in Hubei province, Wuhan, China.
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Yockey LJ, Iwasaki A. Interferons and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Pregnancy and Fetal Development. Immunity 2018; 49:397-412. [PMID: 30231982 PMCID: PMC6152841 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 296] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2018] [Revised: 05/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Successful pregnancy requires carefully-coordinated communications between the mother and fetus. Immune cells and cytokine signaling pathways participate as mediators of these communications to promote healthy pregnancy. At the same time, certain infections or inflammatory conditions in pregnant mothers cause severe disease and have detrimental impacts on the developing fetus. In this review, we examine evidence for the role of maternal and fetal immune responses affecting pregnancy and fetal development, both under homeostasis and following infection. We discuss immune responses that are necessary to promote healthy pregnancy and those that lead to congenital disorders and pregnancy complications, with a particular emphasis on the role of interferons and cytokines. Understanding the contributions of the immune system in pregnancy and fetal development provides important insights into the pathogenesis underlying maternal and fetal diseases and sheds insights on possible targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Yockey
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Akiko Iwasaki
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA.
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Decidual macrophage M1 polarization contributes to adverse pregnancy induced by Toxoplasma gondii PRU strain infection. Microb Pathog 2018; 124:183-190. [PMID: 30142466 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.08.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence indicates that macrophages at the maternal-fetal interface adapt to a phenotype characterized by alternative activation (M2 polarization) and exhibit immunosuppressive functions that favor the maintenance of pregnancy. The bias of M2 decidual macrophages toward M1 has been clinically linked to pregnancy-related complications, such as preeclampsia and preterm delivery. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Toxoplasma gondii PRU strain infection on the bias of decidual macrophage polarization and its contribution to adverse pregnancy outcomes. A mouse model with adverse pregnancy outcome was established by infection with T. gondii PRU strain and the expression levels of functional molecules in decidual macrophages of mice were measured. The results showed that T. gondii infection caused seriously adverse pregnancy outcome in mice. The placentae of infected mice showed obvious congestion and inflammatory cell infiltration. The expression of CD206, MHC-II, and arginase-1 considered as M2 markers was decreased in decidual macrophages after T. gondii infection, whereas the expression of CD80, CD86, iNOS, and cytokines TNF-α and IL-12 considered as M1 markers was increased. Furthermore, iNOS-positive expression was observed in the decidua basalis of infected mice. Our results indicated that T. gondii infection was responsible for the bias of M2 decidual macrophages toward M1, which changes the immunosuppressive microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface and contributes to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Geldenhuys J, Rossouw TM, Lombaard HA, Ehlers MM, Kock MM. Disruption in the Regulation of Immune Responses in the Placental Subtype of Preeclampsia. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1659. [PMID: 30079067 PMCID: PMC6062603 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder, of which one of its major subtypes, the placental subtype is considered a response to an ischemic placental environment, impacting fetal growth and pregnancy outcome. Inflammatory immune responses have been linked to metabolic and inflammatory disorders as well as reproductive failures. In healthy pregnancy, immune regulatory mechanisms prevent excessive systemic inflammation. However, in preeclampsia, the regulation of immune responses is disrupted as a result of aberrant activation of innate immune cells and imbalanced differentiation of T-helper cell subsets creating a cytotoxic environment in utero. Recognition events that facilitate immune interaction between maternal decidual T cells, NK cells, and cytotrophoblasts are considered an indirect cause of the incomplete remodeling of spiral arteries in preeclampsia. The mechanisms involved include the activation of immune cells and the subsequent secretion of cytokines and placental growth factors affecting trophoblast invasion, angiogenesis, and eventually placentation. In this review, we focus on the role of excessive systemic inflammation as the result of a dysregulated immune system in the development of preeclampsia. These include insufficient control of inflammation, failure of tolerance toward paternal antigens at the fetal-maternal interface, and subsequent over- or insufficient activation of immune mediators. It is also possible that external stimuli, such as bacterial endotoxin, may contribute to the excessive systemic inflammation in preeclampsia by stimulating the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, a disrupted immune system might be a predisposing factor or result of placental oxidative stress or excessive inflammation in preeclampsia. Preeclampsia can thus be considered a hyperinflammatory state associated with defective regulation of the immune system proposed as a key element in the pathological events of the placental subtype of this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janri Geldenhuys
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Theresa Marie Rossouw
- Department of Immunology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Hendrik Andries Lombaard
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Wits Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinical Research Division, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Marthie Magdaleen Ehlers
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Marleen Magdalena Kock
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Tshwane Academic Division, National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
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von Chamier M, Reyes L, Hayward LF, Brown MB. Impact of gestational nicotine exposure on intrauterine and fetal infection in a rodent model. Biol Reprod 2018; 96:1071-1084. [PMID: 28419180 PMCID: PMC5803783 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the interaction between prenatal nicotine exposure and intrauterine infection using established rat models. Beginning at gestation day (GD) 6, dams were continuously infused with either saline or 6 mg/kg/day nicotine (Nic). At GD 14, dams received either sterile broth or 105 colony-forming units Mycoplasma pulmonis (MP), resulting in four treatment groups: control (4 dams, 33 fetal units); MP only (5 dams, 55 fetal units); Nic only (5 dams, 61 fetal units), and Nic + MP (7 dams, 82 fetal units). At GD 18, nicotine exposure significantly increased (P ≤ 0.02) the percentage of amniotic fluids and fetuses infected by MP but did not impact colonization rates of maternal sites. Nicotine exposure significantly reduced the numbers of MP in the placenta required for high microbial loads (≥104 color-changing units) in the amniotic fluid (P < 0.01). Fetal inflammatory response lesions were most extensive in the Nic only and Nic + MP groups (P < 0.0001). Control and MP only placentas were interleukin (IL)10-dominant, consistent with an M2/Th2 environment. Placentas exposed to nicotine shifted to a neutral environment, with equivalent levels of interferon gamma (IFNG) and IL10. Both IL6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels in amniotic fluid were highly elevated when both nicotine and infection were present. Our study suggests that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the risk for intrauterine infection, lowers the infectious dose required to breach the placental barrier and infect the amniotic fluid and fetus, and alters the pathology and inflammatory profile associated with maternal and fetal sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria von Chamier
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Leticia Reyes
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.,Department of Pathobiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin
| | - Linda F Hayward
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Mary B Brown
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Weathering the storm; a review of pre-pregnancy stress and risk of spontaneous abortion. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018; 92:142-154. [PMID: 29628283 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The Weathering Effect is a theory that links stress exposure, over the life-course, with racial disparities in reproductive outcomes, through the effects of social adversity on a woman's body. The concept of maternal "weathering" captures cumulative somatic and psychological adversities that can exacerbate the effects of aging. Much of the evidence for weathering comes from observational studies linking self-report measures with reproductive outcomes. The purpose of this review is to explore biological mechanisms that underlie these observations. We focus on spontaneous abortion because this event is understudied despite evidence of racial disparities in this outcome. Spontaneous abortion is the most common pregnancy failure, and it happens early in pregnancy. Early pregnancy is a time most susceptible to the harmful effects of immune dysregulation that may, in part, result from adversities experienced before pregnancy begins. In exploring these mechanisms, we draw on well-defined signaling processes observed in the stressor-depression relationship. Pro-inflammatory dysregulation, for example, has particular relevance to immunological control occurring early in pregnancy. Early pregnancy immunologic changes affect the trajectories of pregnancy via control of trophoblastic invasion. Within the first few weeks of pregnancy, uterine derived cytokines operate within cytokine networks and play a critical role in this invasion. Programming for pro-inflammatory dysregulation can occur before conception. This dysregulation, brought into early pregnancy, has implications for viability and success of the index pregnancy. These patterns suggest early pregnancy health is susceptible to stress processing pathways that influence this immunologic control in the first six to eight weeks of pregnancy. In this review, we discuss the known mediating role of immune factors in the stressor-depression relationship. We also discuss how adversity experienced before the index pregnancy, or "pre-pregnancy" may influence these pathways, and subsequently influence early pregnancy health. There is a need to understand adversity, experienced before pregnancy, and mechanisms driving the effects of these experiences on pregnancy outcomes. This approach is a useful entry point for understanding racial inequities in pregnancy health through an understanding of differences in exposures to adversity. We hypothesize that spontaneous abortion involves cyclical changes within a woman's reproductive tract in response to stressors that are established well before a woman enters into pregnancy. Furthermore, we propose mechanisms that potentially drive weathering processes relevant to reproductive disparities. We also examine what is known about pre-pregnancy stress exposures associated with race, inequity, and adversity, and their potential impact on neuroendocrine and immune changes affecting early pregnancy risk.
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Cheng SB, Davis S, Sharma S. Maternal-fetal cross talk through cell-free fetal DNA, telomere shortening, microchimerism, and inflammation. Am J Reprod Immunol 2018; 79:e12851. [PMID: 29577468 PMCID: PMC5908740 DOI: 10.1111/aji.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
There exists a strong correlation between unscheduled inflammation at the maternal-fetal interface and the continuum of pregnancy complications. In normal pregnancy, immunological tolerance is established to protect the semi-allogeneic fetus. There has been extensive research on how the immunity, endovascular trophoblast migration, and hormonal nexus are orchestrated during pregnancy at the maternal-fetal interface to program a normal pregnancy outcome. It is not clear what contributes to the plasticity of uterine immune tolerance, fetal survial, and long-term post-partum health of the mother and the offspring. Old and new concepts have reemerged and emerged that include cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA), telomere shortening, microchimerism involving bidirectional migration of maternal and fetal cells, and pregnancy as a stress factor. The question is how these pathways converge in a gestational age-dependent manner to contribute to the health of the mother and the offspring later in life and respond to an array of inflammatory challenges. In this Review, we provide pertinent discussion on maternal-fetal cross talk through cffDNA, telomere shortening, and microchimerism in the context of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory settings, particularly how these pathways lead to normal and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Bin Cheng
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Sarah Davis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Surendra Sharma
- Department of Pediatrics, Women and Infants’ Hospital of Rhode Island, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
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Dambaeva S, Schneiderman S, Jaiswal MK, Agrawal V, Katara GK, Gilman-Sachs A, Hirsch E, Beaman KD. Interleukin 22 prevents lipopolysaccharide- induced preterm labor in mice. Biol Reprod 2018; 98:299-308. [PMID: 29315356 PMCID: PMC6669419 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Preterm birth is widespread and causes 35% of all neonatal deaths. Infants who survive face potential long-term complications. A major contributing factor of preterm birth is infection. We investigated the role of interleukin 22 (IL22) as a potential clinically relevant cytokine during gestational infection. IL22 is an effector molecule secreted by immune cells. While the expression of IL22 was reported in normal nonpregnant endometrium and early pregnancy decidua, little is known about uterine IL22 expression during mid or late gestational stages of pregnancy. Since IL22 has been shown to be an essential mediator in epithelial regeneration and wound repair, we investigated the potential role of IL22 during defense against an inflammatory response at the maternal-fetal interface. We used a well-established model to study infection and infection-associated inflammation during preterm birth in the mouse. We have shown that IL22 is upregulated to respond to an intrauterine lipopolysaccharide administration and plays an important role in controlling the risk of inflammation-induced preterm birth. This paper proposes IL22 as a treatment method to combat infection and prevent preterm birth in susceptible patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svetlana Dambaeva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Sylvia Schneiderman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mukesh K Jaiswal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Varkha Agrawal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Gajendra K Katara
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alice Gilman-Sachs
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Emmet Hirsch
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, Illinois, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Kenneth D Beaman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Natural killer cells mediate pathophysiology in response to reduced uterine perfusion pressure. Clin Sci (Lond) 2017; 131:2753-2762. [PMID: 29042488 DOI: 10.1042/cs20171118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Preeclampsia is associated with hypertension, small-for-gestational-age babies, and increased cytolytic natural killer (NK) cells. The specific role of cytolytic NK cells in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia has not been clearly defined. We hypothesized that Reduced Uterine Perfusion Pressure (RUPP) stimulates proliferation and cytolytic activation of NK cells, and that reducing NK cells in RUPP would prevent hypertension, intrauterine growth restriction, and inflammation in response to placental ischemia. RUPP was induced on gestation day (GD) 14 in pregnant rats. NK cells were depleted by i.p. administration of anti-asialo GM1 antibody on GDs 15 and 17. Placental and circulating NK cells were quantified via flow cytometry, mean arterial pressure (MAP), fetal weights, and cytokines were measured on GD 19. Total placental NK cells were 7.4 ± 2% of gated cells in normal pregnant (NP; n=10) and 16.5 ± 3% of gated cells in RUPP (n=10) rats. Furthermore, cytolytic placental NK cells also increased in RUPP. Depletion of NK cells in RUPP (RUPP + anti-ASGM1) significantly improved MAP and fetal weights. MAP was 108 ± 2 mmHg in NP, 125 ± 2 mmHg in RUPP, and 112 ± 2 mmHg in RUPP + anti-ASGM1 (n=12). Fetal weight was 2.32 ± 0.05 in NP, 1.8 ± 0.04g in RUPP, and increased to 2.0 ± 0.04g in RUPP + anti-ASGM1. Placental interferon-γ (IFN-γ) was 40.4 ± 5.2 pg/mg in NP, 72.17 ± 3.2 pg/mg in RUPP, and 44.0 ± 6.5 pg/mg in RUPP + anti-ASGM1 (P<0.05). Placental tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was 17.9 ± 1.7 pg/mg in NP, 23.9 ± 2.2 pg/mg in RUPP, and 12.9 ± 2.3 pg/mg in RUPP + anti-ASGM1 (P<0.05). Depletion of NK cells significantly lowered MAP, intrauterine growth restriction, and inflammation in RUPP rats indicating that cytolytic NK cells are important in preeclampsia pathophysiology.
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