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Yull S, Shafiei S, Park CB, Kazemi P, Tiemann EB, Pagé MHG, Dufort D. Uterine Nodal expression supports maternal immunotolerance and establishment of the FOXP3 + regulatory T cell population during the preimplantation period. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1276979. [PMID: 38022561 PMCID: PMC10646213 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1276979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy success is dependent on the establishment of maternal tolerance during the preimplantation period. The immunosuppressive function of regulatory T cells is critical to limit inflammation arising from implantation of the semi-allogeneic blastocyst. Insufficient maternal immune adaptations to pregnancy have been frequently associated with cases of female infertility and recurrent implantation failure. The role of Nodal, a secreted morphogen of the TGFβ superfamily, was recently implicated during murine pregnancy as its conditional deletion (NodalΔ/Δ) in the female reproductive tract resulted in severe subfertility. Here, it was determined that despite normal preimplantation processes and healthy, viable embryos, NodalΔ/Δ females had a 50% implantation failure rate compared to NodalloxP/loxP controls. Prior to implantation, the expression of inflammatory cytokines MCP-1, G-CSF, IFN-γ and IL-10 was dysregulated in the NodalΔ/Δ uterus. Further analysis of the preimplantation leukocyte populations in NodalΔ/Δ uteri showed an overabundance of infiltrating, pro-inflammatory CD11bhigh Ly6C+ macrophages coupled with the absence of CD4+ FOXP3+ regulatory T cells. Therefore, it is proposed that uterine Nodal expression during the preimplantation period has a novel role in the establishment of maternal immunotolerance, and its dysregulation should be considered as a potential contributor to cases of female infertility and recurrent implantation failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Yull
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shiva Shafiei
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Craig B. Park
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Parinaz Kazemi
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Marie-Hélène Godin Pagé
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Daniel Dufort
- Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Child Health and Human Development Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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