The immune privilege of testis and gravid uterus: same difference?
The fetus in the gravid uterus and the developing spermatogenic cells in the adult testis both comprise special challenges for the host immune system. Protection of the neoantigens of the fetus and male germ cells from immune attack, defined as immune privilege, is fundamental for the propagation of species. Immune privilege is not simply the absence of leukocytes, but involves immune and non-immune cells acting synergistically together at multiple levels to create a unique tolerogenic environment. A number of the pathways are shared by the testis and gravid uterus. Amongst them steroid hormones, namely testosterone in the male and progesterone in the female, seem to function as key molecules that govern the local production of immunoregulatory factors which finally control the overall immune environment.
Laboratory for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
Petra
P
Arck
Laboratory for Experimental Feto-Maternal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Fetal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
María Emilia
ME
Solano
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, 35385 Giessen, Germany.
Magdalena
M
Walecki
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Justus-Liebig-University of Giessen, 35385 Giessen, Germany. Electronic address: andreas.meinhardt@anatomie.med.uni-giessen.de.
Andreas
A
Meinhardt
D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology*
Gravid uterus; Immune privilege; Progesterone; Testis; Testosterone; Tolerance