title: IL-7/IL-7R signaling pathway might play a role in recurrent pregnancy losses by increasing inflammatory Th17 cells and decreasing Treg cells.
abstract: We aim to investigate a possible role of IL-7/IL-7R signaling pathway in recurrent pregnancy losses (RPL).
  
  
  
  Using the abortion-prone (AP) and non-abortion-prone (NP) mice model, fetal resorption rates (FRR), Th17 and Treg cells-related factors, and the effect of IL-7 and IL-7R antagonist were investigated by flow cytometry, quantitative real-time PCR, and immunohistochemistry. IL-7 and IL-7R expressions in human decidua were investigated by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  
  In the AP mice, IL-7R antagonist treatment significantly decreased FRR by downregulating Th17 and upregulating Treg-related factors. When the NP mice were treated with IL-7, FRR was significantly increased by upregulating Th17 and downregulating Treg-related factors. In decidual stromal cells of women with RPL, increased IL-7 and decreased IL-7R expressions were present when compared to normal controls.
  
  
  
  IL-7/IL-7R signaling pathway plays a possible role in RPL by upregulating Th17 immunity, meanwhile downregulating Treg immunity. Regulation of IL-7/IL-7R may be a new therapeutic strategy for RPL.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.|Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL, USA.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL, USA.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors: Jie
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors: Hui Li
authors: HL
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors: Xian Hong
authors: XH
authors: Tong
authors: Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL, USA.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Vernon Hills, IL, USA.
authors: Joanne
authors: J
authors: Kwak-Kim
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors: Yu Sheng
authors: YS
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005327:Fetal Resorption / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D011247:Pregnancy; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C508605:IL7 protein, human; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D015851:Interleukin-7; D020395:Receptors, Interleukin-7
keywords: IL-7; IL-7R; Th17 cell; Treg cell; recurrent pregnancy losses