title: Immunologic response in pregnancy. Its role in endocrine disorders of pregnancy and influence on the course of maternal autoimmune diseases.
abstract: During gestation, the immune system is challenged with establishing tolerance to the partial allograft represented by the paternal contribution to the fetal genome. That fact that cell-mediated immunity is decreased while T-cell-dependent immunoglobin production remains intact or is increased is generally accepted. This latter phenomenon can be placed in teleological perspective in terms of providing passive immunity to the fetus. T-cell lineages that diverge based on function and cytokine production have been identified. Pregnancy is associated with a relative increase in Th2-associated immunity, characterized by increased production of the cytokines IL-4 and IL-10. These changes occur concomitantly with increased immunoglobulin production and decreased Th1 immunity. IL-2 and interferon secretion characterize Th1 immunity, facilitating allograft rejection. These changes in Th1 and Th2 have implications for the clinical course of a several autoimmune diseases that may complicate pregnancy and the postpartum period.
authors.affiliation: Sansum Medical Research Foundation, Santa Barbara, California, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Formby
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines