Immune suppression and Th1/Th2 balance in pregnancy revisited: a (very) personal tribute to Tom Wegmann.
OBJECTIVE
The paradigm of local suppression necessary to understand the survival of the fetal allograft is often compared with the host-tumor relationship.


METHODS
We investigated two components of local immune suppression: placenta-induced immunosuppression, which is mediated at least in part by a soluble factor of low molecular weight that can induce anergy in lymphocytes, and interleukin-10 (IL-10).


RESULTS
We show that enhancement of IL-10 production in the decidua and placenta after alloimmunization requires the presence of Asialo GM1+ cells. Placenta-induced immunosuppression is linked with defects in phosphorylation of some components of the T cell receptor.


CONCLUSIONS
NK cells could be in fact regulatory cells pushing maternal immune response toward a Th2 profile, beneficial for fetal survival, or toward a Th1 type of immune response, which acts in synergy. Modulation of TcR may represent a new mechanism for maternal-fetal tolerance.
Chaouat
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G
INSERM CJF 92 09 (Biologie cellulaire et moléculaire de la relation Materno foetale), Maternité Hôpital A Béclére, Clamart, France.
Tranchot Diallo
J
J
Volumenie
J L
JL
Menu
E
E
Gras
G
G
Delage
G
G
Mognetti
B
B
D000818:Animals; D017635:Clonal Anergy; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005327:Fetal Resorption / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005333:Fetus / Q000276:immunology; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000032:analysis; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018448:Models, Immunological; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
D006183:H-2 Antigens; C024755:H-2K(K) antigen; D008222:Lymphokines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; C018835:asialo GM1 ganglioside