The unique immunological and microbial aspects of pregnancy

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confidence: 75%

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confidence: 99%

Interferon epsilon in the reproductive tract of healthy and genital herpes simplex virus‐infected pregnant women: Results of a pilot study

Nickodem

Criscitiello

Bazer

et al. 2018

“…After 18 weeks of gestation, the proportion of NK cells is increased in the fetal liver equaling the proportion of T cells 159 . Fetal NK cells are implicated in cytokine- and antibody-mediated NK cell responses in utero; yet, they remain hyporesponsive to HLA class I–negative or allogeneic cells 160 , which could be considered a mechanism for maternal-fetal tolerance 161, 162 . Taken together, these findings suggest that amniotic fluid NK cells could participate in the mechanisms of maternal-fetal tolerance taking place in the fetal compartments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The immunophenotype of amniotic fluid leukocytes in normal and complicated pregnancies

Gomez‐Lopez

Romero

et al. 2018

Problem The immune cellular composition of amniotic fluid is poorly understood. Herein, we determined the immunophenotype of amniotic fluid: 1) immune cells during the second and third trimester; 2) T cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs); and 3) immune cells during intra-amniotic infection/inflammation. Method of Study Amniotic fluid samples (n=57) were collected from women from 15-40 weeks of gestation without intra-amniotic infection/inflammation. Samples from women with intra-amniotic infection/inflammation were also included (n=9). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy adults were used as controls (n=3). Immunophenotyping was performed using flow cytometry. Results In the absence of intra-amniotic infection/inflammation, the amniotic fluid contained several immune cell populations from 15-40 weeks. Among these immune cells: 1) T cells and ILCs were greater than B cells and NK cells between 15 to 30 weeks; 2) T cells were most abundant between 15 to 30 weeks; 3) ILCs were most abundant between 15 to 20 weeks; 4) B cells were scarce between 15 to 20 weeks; yet, they increased and were constant after 20 weeks; 5) NK cells were greater between 15 to 30 weeks than at term; 6) ILCs expressed high levels of RORγt, CD161, and CD103 (i.e. Group 3 ILCs); 7) T cells expressed high levels of RORγt; 8) neutrophils increased as gestation progressed; and 9) monocytes/macrophages emerged after 20 weeks and remained constant until term. All of the amniotic fluid immune cells, except ILCs, were increased in the presence of intra-amniotic infection/inflammation. Conclusions The amniotic fluid harbors a diverse immune cellular composition during normal and complicated pregnancies.

“…18 Placental tissues express almost all factors of the immune system. 1,19,20 Among these factors, the placenta produces nitric oxide (NO) in high quantities 21 by nitric oxide synthase, endothelial (EC:1.14.14.47) (eNOS) and nitric oxide synthase, inducible, (EC:…”

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confidence: 99%

Nitric oxide synthase and oxidative‐nitrosative stress play a key role in placental infection by Trypanosoma cruzi

Triquell

Díaz-Luján

Romanini

et al. 2018

The higher number of parasites caused deleterious consequences to the placental barrier, and the inhibitors (l-NAME and NAC) prevented the damage caused by trypomastigotes in placental villi but not that of the infection. Moreover, trophoblast eNOS played a key role in placental infection with the highest inoculum of Lucky, demonstrating the importance of the enzyme and nitrosative-oxidative stress in Chagas congenital transmission.