Immune Interactions during the Reproductive CycleSinuhe Hahn, Stavros Giaglis Mammalian pregnancy represents a unique immunological riddle in that the mother does not reject her allogeneic fetus. In part this is largely due to a general sequestration or diminution of T cell activity, and an increased involvement of the innate immune system. The field of immunology is concerned primarily with how innate and adaptive mechanisms collaborate to protect vertebrates from infection. Although many cellular and molecular actors have evidently important roles, antibodies and lymphocytes are considered to be the principal players. Yet despite their importance, it would be definitely simplistic to conclude that they are solely essential for immunity overall. A major distinction between adaptive and innate immunity is the spontaneity of the innate immune response, which utilizes an already pre-existing but limited repertoire of responding modules. The slower onset of adaptive immunity compensates by its ability to recognize a much broader repertory of foreign substances, and also by its power to constantly improve during a response, whereas innate immunity remains relatively unaffected. |
Contents
a tight interaction between diverse scientific and clinical disciplines including immunology obstetrics hematology and endocrinology | 6 |
Endocrine factors modulating immune responses in pregnancy | 9 |
Innate and adaptive immune interactions at the fetalmaternal interface in healthy human pregnancy and preeclampsia | 21 |
Monocytes and macrophages in pregnancy and preeclampsia | 33 |
historical perspective state of the art and burning questions | 44 |
Stimulation of monocytes by placental microparticles involves tolllike receptors and nuclear factor kappalightchainenhancer of activated B cells | 54 |
the old new players in reproductive immunology | 62 |
a critical component required for neonatal autoimmune disease induction by maternal autoantibody | 72 |
Placental Protein 13 PP13 a placental immunoregulatory galectin protecting pregnancy | 88 |
The role of placental tryptophan catabolism | 113 |
Regulation of the antiinflammatory cytokines interleukin4 and interleukin10 during pregnancy | 124 |
Innate immune system and preeclampsia | 130 |
from the bench to the bedside | 137 |
HLAG in reproduction | 141 |
The promising potential of menstrual stem cells for antenatal diagnosis and cell therapy | 151 |
a risky game with an uncertain outcome? | 79 |