title: The role of placental MHC class I expression in immune-assisted separation of the fetal membranes in cattle.
abstract: The bovine fetus, like that of other species, is a semi-allograft and the regulation of materno-fetal alloimmunity is critical to prevent its immunological rejection. In cattle, a materno-fetal alloimmune response may be beneficial at parturition. It is hypothesized that upregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I on the fetal membranes toward the end of gestation induces a maternal alloimmune response that activates innate immune effector mechanisms, aiding in the loss of the adherence between the fetal membranes and the uterus. Loss of fetal-maternal adherence is pivotal for the timely expulsion of the fetal membranes and the absence (or reduction) of the maternal immune response may lead to retained fetal membranes, a common reproductive disorder of cattle. Currently, there is no effective treatment for retained fetal membranes and a better understanding of materno-fetal alloimmune-assisted separation of the fetal membranes may lead to novel targets for the treatment of retained fetal membranes. In this review, the regulation of materno-fetal alloimmunity during pregnancy in cattle, with a focus on placental MHC class I expression, and the importance of maternal alloimmunity for the timely separation of the fetal membranes, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.165, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: LindertBenedictus@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lindert
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benedictus
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.165, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.151, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: a.p.koets@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Ad P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Koets
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.165, 3508 TD Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa. Electronic address: v.rutten@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Victor P M G
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Rutten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005321:Extraembryonic Membranes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000276:immunology*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
keywords: Alloimmunity; Cattle; Fetal–maternal adherence; Major histocompatibility complex class I; Pregnancy; Retained fetal membranes