title: Endocrine and immune system interactions during pregnancy.
abstract: Pregnancy is known to induce a transient depression of maternal cell-mediated immunity, to prevent rejection of the fetus, while at the same time it keeps adequate maternal host defense mechanisms to fight infection. Presently, the aim of this paper was to investigate a possible endocrine and immunologic alteration observed during a successful pregnancy. This study consistently showed that plasma corticosterone levels were significantly higher (P<0.0001) in pregnant Wistar rats than in virgin female. An increased number of peritoneal macrophages was also detected in pregnant females when compared to non-pregnant ones. Macrophages play an important role in the production of bioactive proteins and lipids such as nitric oxide. Then, in support of the latter, the present study showed increased levels of endogenous NO in pregnant rats when compared to non-pregnant ones, thereby mediating the vasodilatation process of normal gestation. Furthermore, our FACS analysis clearly indicated the correlation between reduced CD161 expression on NK cells (P<0.0001) in pregnant rats when compared to virgin females. It was found that pregnancy appears to be associated with depressed cell immunity, as evidenced by a significant inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation. Understanding the immunological paradox of maternal tolerance, as well as the hormonal modulation of the immune environment during pregnancy is essential for future studies to investigate the potential for these processes to be modulated by diet or effective therapeutics during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: vaniabrazao@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vânia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brazão
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Christian Collins
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Kuehn
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Domingues
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: dos Santos
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cássia Mariana Bronzon
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Clóvis do Prado
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Júnior
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP), University of São Paulo, Av. do Café s/n, 14040-903 Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Amélia
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Carraro-Abrahão
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D003345:Corticosterone
keywords: Corticosterone levels; NK cells; Nitric oxide (NO); Peritoneal macrophages; Pregnancy; Splenocyte proliferation