title: Regulatory T cells and regulatory natural killer (NK) cells play important roles in feto-maternal tolerance.
abstract: In the early pregnancy decidua, lymphocytes express some activation markers on their surface, suggesting that maternal lymphocytes are activated and recognize the semiallograftic fetus. Therefore, the immunoregulation system must work to prevent fetus rejection. Recent data showed that parts of the immunoregulation system such as CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells, Th3 cells, Tr1 cells, regulatory NK cells, and a tryptophan-catabolizing enzyme, indolamine 2,3 deoxygenase, play very important roles in the maintenance of pregnancy. Not only Treg cells but also regulatory NK cells may inhibit maternal T cell or NK cell fetal attack.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. s30saito@med.u-toyama.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Arihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shiozaki
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shima
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens