Journal
JOURNAL OF STEROID BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Volume 97, Issue 5, Pages 389-396Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2005.08.010
Keywords
pregnancy; progesterone; spontaneous abortion; immune system; progesterone-induced blocking factor; T-helper cells; cytokines
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The foetal-placental unit is a semi-allograft and the immunological recognition of pregnancy, together with the subsequent response of the maternal immune system, is necessary for a successful pregnancy. This recognition of pregnancy results in an upregulation of progesterone receptors on activated lymphocytes amongst placental cells and decidual CD56+ cells. In the presence of sufficient progesterone, these cells synthesise progesterone induced blocking factor (PIBF), a mediator that exerts substantial anti-abortive activities. PIBF affects B cells and induces an increased production of asymmetric, non-cytotoxic antibodies. It also alters the profile of cytokine secretion by activated lymphocytes resulting in an increase in the production of non-inflammatory, non-cytotoxic interleukins (IL) (e.g. IL-3, IL-4 and IL-10) and a reduction in the production of inflammatory, cytotoxic cytokines (e.g. interferon (IFN)-delta, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-2). PIBF also inhibits the cytotoxity of natural killer (NK) cells by blocking their degranulation and perforin release, as well as inhibiting IFN-delta, TNF-alpha and IL-2-mediated transformation of NK cells into detrimental lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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