The immunology of pregnancy is complex and incompletely understood. Aberrant immune activity in the decidua and in the placenta is believed to play a role in diseases of pregnancy, such as infertility, miscarriage, fe...The immunology of pregnancy is complex and incompletely understood. Aberrant immune activity in the decidua and in the placenta is believed to play a role in diseases of pregnancy, such as infertility, miscarriage, fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. Here, we briefly review the endocrine control of uterine natural killer cell populations and their functions by the peptide hormone adrenomedullin. Studies in genetic animal models have revealed the critical importance of adrenomedullin dosage at the maternal-fetal interface, with cells from both the maternal and fetal compartments contributing to essential aspects underlying appropriate uterine receptivity, implantation and vascular remodeling of spiral arteries. These basic insights into the crosstalk between the endocrine and immune systems within the maternal- fetal interface may ultimately translate to a better understanding of the functions and consequences of dysregulated adrenomedullin levels in clinically complicated pregnancies.展开更多
Uterine natural killer(uNK)cells,sharing many characters with peripheral blood natural killer(pNK)cells,are a major uterine lymphocyte population at early gestational stages during normal pregnancy in placental mammal...Uterine natural killer(uNK)cells,sharing many characters with peripheral blood natural killer(pNK)cells,are a major uterine lymphocyte population at early gestational stages during normal pregnancy in placental mammals. The functions of uNK cells include cytokine production and cytotoxcity that are regulated by signals through activating and inhibitory receptors.UNK cells differ from pNK cells however and contribute to the structural changes that accompany the differentiation of the maternal-fetal interface.Immunological mechanisms must provide a balanced environment for uNK cell proliferation,differentiation and activation through intricate signaling pathways.An improved knowledge of mechanisms regulating uNK cells development and the cytokine network at the maternal-fetal interface of mice and humans might be useful to harness the power of these cells for maintenance of pregnancy.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2005;2(2):123-129.展开更多
文摘The immunology of pregnancy is complex and incompletely understood. Aberrant immune activity in the decidua and in the placenta is believed to play a role in diseases of pregnancy, such as infertility, miscarriage, fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia. Here, we briefly review the endocrine control of uterine natural killer cell populations and their functions by the peptide hormone adrenomedullin. Studies in genetic animal models have revealed the critical importance of adrenomedullin dosage at the maternal-fetal interface, with cells from both the maternal and fetal compartments contributing to essential aspects underlying appropriate uterine receptivity, implantation and vascular remodeling of spiral arteries. These basic insights into the crosstalk between the endocrine and immune systems within the maternal- fetal interface may ultimately translate to a better understanding of the functions and consequences of dysregulated adrenomedullin levels in clinically complicated pregnancies.
文摘Uterine natural killer(uNK)cells,sharing many characters with peripheral blood natural killer(pNK)cells,are a major uterine lymphocyte population at early gestational stages during normal pregnancy in placental mammals. The functions of uNK cells include cytokine production and cytotoxcity that are regulated by signals through activating and inhibitory receptors.UNK cells differ from pNK cells however and contribute to the structural changes that accompany the differentiation of the maternal-fetal interface.Immunological mechanisms must provide a balanced environment for uNK cell proliferation,differentiation and activation through intricate signaling pathways.An improved knowledge of mechanisms regulating uNK cells development and the cytokine network at the maternal-fetal interface of mice and humans might be useful to harness the power of these cells for maintenance of pregnancy.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2005;2(2):123-129.
