Prednisone may induce immunologic tolerance by activating the functions of decidual immune cells in early pregnancy

In human pregnancy, successful placentation and remodelling of the uterine vasculature require the integration of a number of stages, which are crucial for a healthy pregnancy. As the demands of the developing fetus for nutrients and oxygen increase, the capacity of the maternal blood vessels to supply this must be altered radically, with deficiencies in this process implicated in a number of dangerous pregnancy complications. The complex signalling networks that regulate these tightly co-ordinated events are becoming clearer as more studies of early pregnancy are performed. It is the aim of this review to draw together our knowledge of events that occur to facilitate a successful pregnancy ranging from the preparation for implantation, through the invasion and differentiation of the trophoblast and the regulation of these processes by other cells within the decidual environment, to the active role that the trophoblast and maternal immune cells play in facilitating the remodelling of the uterine spiral arteries. The events involved in a healthy pregnancy will then be compared to aberrant placentation and remodelling, which are characteristics of many pregnancy disorders, and recent advances in detection of abnormal placental development will also be discussed.

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CXCR3-dependent immune pathology in mice following infection with Toxoplasma gondii during early pregnancy

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.00253-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Akari Nishida ◽

Rina Ikeda ◽

Hidefumi Furuoka ◽

Yoshifumi Nishikawa

Keyword(s):

Toxoplasma Gondii ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Disease Onset ◽

Fetal Loss ◽

Congenital Toxoplasmosis ◽

Parasite Load ◽

Wild Type ◽

Immune Pathology ◽

Embryo Resorption

Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the obligate intracellular parasite, Toxoplasma gondii. The symptoms of congenital toxoplasmosis range from embryonic death and resorption to subclinical infection, but the mechanism of disease onset remains unclear. The C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) is highly expressed in Th1-associated immune cells and plays an important role in the trafficking and activation of immune cells. However, the roles of CXCR3 in T. gondii-induced fetal loss and the molecular mechanism of embryo resorption remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of CXCR3 in fetal wastage caused by T. gondii infection using CXCR3-deficient (CXCR3−/−) mice. CXCR3−/− and wild-type pregnant mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with T. gondii tachyzoites on day 3.5 of gestation (Gd3.5). Pregnancy rates decreased as the pregnancy progressed in both infected groups; however, infected CXCR3−/− mice showed a significant fetal loss at Gd13.5 compared with Gd7.5. All embryos of the infected groups showed necrosis, and embryo resorption was significantly increased in infected CXCR3−/− compared with wild-type mice at Gd13.5. The parasite load of fetoplacental tissues was significantly increased in CXCR3−/− mice at Gd10.5. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase were significantly increased in fetoplacental tissues from infected wild-type mice compared to infected CXCR3−/− mice following the infection. These results suggested that CXCR3-dependent immune responses provide anti-Toxoplasma activity and play an essential role in reducing embryo resorption and fetal loss caused by T. gondii infection during early pregnancy.

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Role of uterine immune cells in early pregnancy in pigs

Bioscientifica Proceedings ◽

10.1530/biosciprocs.15.009 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

H. Engelhardt ◽

H. City ◽

G. J. King

Keyword(s):

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells

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Early pregnancy-induced transcripts in peripheral blood immune cells in Bos indicus heifers

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-70616-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Cecilia Constantino Rocha ◽

Sónia Cristina da Silva Andrade ◽

Gabriela Dalmaso de Melo ◽

Igor Garcia Motta ◽

Luiz Lehmann Coutinho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Bos Indicus

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Upregulation of Interferon-stimulated Genes and Interleukin-10 in Peripheral Blood Immune Cells During Early Pregnancy in Dairy Cows

Journal of Reproduction and Development ◽

10.1262/jrd.11-094k ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 84-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Koumei SHIRASUNA ◽

Haruka MATSUMOTO ◽

Eiji KOBAYASHI ◽

Akane NITTA ◽

Shingo HANEDA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Interleukin 10 ◽

Interferon Stimulated Genes

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Immune cells in the corpus luteum: friends or foes?

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/rep.0.1220665 ◽

2001 ◽

pp. 665-676 ◽

Cited By ~ 109

Author(s):

JL Pate ◽

P Landis Keyes

Keyword(s):

Inflammatory Response ◽

Corpus Luteum ◽

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Alternative Hypothesis ◽

Luteal Regression ◽

Luteal Cells ◽

Luteal Tissue ◽

Ovulatory Follicles ◽

Viable Embryo

The corpus luteum produces progesterone, which is essential for the maintenance of pregnancy. In the absence of a viable embryo, the corpus luteum must regress rapidly to allow for development of new ovulatory follicles. In many species, luteal regression is initiated by uterine release of PGF(2alpha), which inhibits steroidogenesis and may launch a cascade of events leading to the ultimate demise of the tissue. Immune cells, primarily macrophages and T lymphocytes, are present in the corpus luteum, particularly at the time of luteolysis. The macrophages are important for ingestion of cellular remnants that result from the death of luteal cells. However, it has also been hypothesized that immune cells are involved directly in the destruction of luteal cells, as well as in the loss of steroidogenesis; this hypothesis is reviewed in the first part of this article. An alternative hypothesis is also presented, namely that immune cells serve to abate an inflammatory response generated by dead and dying luteal cells, in effect, preventing a response that would otherwise damage surrounding ovarian tissues. Finally, the changes in immune cells that accompany maternal recognition of pregnancy and rescue of the corpus luteum are discussed briefly. Inhibition of immune cells in the corpus luteum during early pregnancy may be due to embryonic or uterine signals, or to maintenance of high progesterone concentrations within the luteal tissue.

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10.11606/d.10.2020.tde-17022020-143809 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cecília Constantino Rocha

Keyword(s):

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Peripheral Blood

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Uterine lymphocyte distribution and interleukin expression during early pregnancy in cows

Reproduction ◽

10.1530/reprod/119.1.25 ◽

2000 ◽

pp. 25-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

ST Leung ◽

K Derecka ◽

GE Mann ◽

AP Flint ◽

DC Wathes

Keyword(s):

Early Pregnancy ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Interferon Tau ◽

Pregnant Uterus ◽

Embryo Size ◽

Intact Uterus ◽

Pregnancy Status ◽

Maternal Immune Response ◽

The Relationship

Both the production of cytokines and the distribution of immune cells within the uterus change during early pregnancy. Evidence obtained mainly from mice indicates that these changes are important for implantation and in preventing a maternal immune response to the conceptus. The ruminant embryo also produces interferon tau at this time, the signal for the maternal recognition of pregnancy. The relationship between these events in cows was studied using uteri from three groups of animals on day 16 after observed oestrus: (i) cyclic controls, (ii) pregnant and (iii) inseminated but with no embryo present. Embryo size and the antiviral activity in uterine flushings (indicative of the interferon tau concentration) were measured. Sections of intact uterus were frozen for the localization and quantitation of CD4(+) (T lymphocytes), CD14(+) (macrophages) and CD21(+) (B lymphocytes) uterine cells by immunohistochemistry. The expression of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 mRNAs in uterine extracts was measured by RT-PCR. Neither embryo size, interferon tau concentration nor pregnancy status influenced the distribution of CD4(+), CD14(+) or CD21(+) cells in the day 16 uterus. Endometrial IL-1alpha mRNA was detected in most cows across the groups, whereas IL-2 mRNA was only present in the non-pregnant uterus. IL-6 and IL-10 mRNAs were not detectable in any uteri. In conclusion, IL-2 mRNA expression is detectable in the non-pregnant but not the pregnant uterus on day 16 and interferon t is unlikely to play a role in the redistribution of immune cells in the uterus during early bovine pregnancy.

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