The regulatory role of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in maternal-fetal immune tolerance during early human pregnancy.
Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is an IL-7-like cytokine, and the functional TSLP receptor (TSLPR) consists of a common IL-7 receptor alpha chain (IL-7Ralpha) and TSLP-specific gamma receptor chain (TSLPR-gamma). It has been demonstrated that TSLP plays an important role in the Th2 bias and regulatory T cell expansion of immune response and tolerance. A successful pregnancy, especially in the early phase, demonstrates features of a Th2 immune response and requires CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cell expansion. We have found recently that TSLP-instructed decidual dendritic cells (dDCs) promote decidual CD4(+) T cells to produce Th2-type cytokines including IL-10, which is believed to be a key player in maternal-fetal tolerance. Phenotypic analyses have shown that the expanded cells are mainly CD4(+) Th2 cells and Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells. Our findings show that trophoblasts secrete TSLP that is able to instruct the dDCs to induce CD4(+) Th2 cell and Foxp3(+) regulatory T cell differentiation in decidual CD4(+) T cells.
Li
Da-Jin
DJ
Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital & Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IBS, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai, China. djli@shmu.edu.cn
Guo
Pei-Fen
PF
D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000094632:Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016207:Cytokines; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D016753:Interleukin-10; D000094632:Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin