title: Bidirectional cytokine interactions in the maternal-fetal relationship: is successful pregnancy a TH2 phenomenon?
abstract: Pregnant females are susceptible to intracellular pathogens and are biased towards humoral rather than cell-mediated immunity. Since TH1 cytokines compromise pregnancy and TH2 cytokines are produced at the maternal-fetal interface, we hypothesize that these TH2 cytokines inhibit TH1 responses, improving fetal survival but impairing responses against some pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Wegmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guilbert
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Mosmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines