Immunology of pregnancy Flashcards
What is pregnancy in terms of immunology?
‘Resetting’ of normal physiological state
What is the immunological paradox?
Fetus is 50% foreign material therefore there is a maternal investment to ensure that the genetic material is passed on
What happens at implantation?
Differential gene expression;
- Increase in g.f. proteolytic enzymes and inflam mediators - FACILITATE IMPLANT
- Change in exp of pt to prevent blasto rejection and inapp blasto invasion
What is the window of implantation?
Period where endometrium develops transient receptivity for embryo
What permits invasion of blasto?
Decidua
What is the primary decidual reaction
?
Uterine stromal cell enlargemnt
uNK prominent
How is intersitial invasion regulated?
- Cytotb diff is faciliated
- maternal decidua has permissive function
- haemochorial placentation in humans
What can a cytoTB progenitor cell diff into?
- CTB
- EVT (invasive)
- ScTB (fusion)
Why is the blasto not rejected>
It has modified self;non-self markers that do not trigger the immune system but instead tell the mother that it is safe and self
What are uNK cells?
NK cells that make up 70% of decidual immune cells
Exp Killer cell Ig-like R (KIR) which bind MHC-1 complex
Less cytotoxic that NK
Synth chemo/cyto that interact with EVT to facilitate invasion
What molecules are expressed on uNK cells?
CD56+ and CD16- (found on all other NK cells)
What HLAs do EVT express?
HLA-G, HLA-C and HLA-E
What is the role of HLA-G?
Only exp on TB - tells mother that it is self
Immunomodulation and preg-ass inflam
What is the role of HLA-C?
comb of HLA-C and KIR determines pregnancy outcome
What is the role of HLA-E?
Presents HLA-G leader peptide
inhib NK cell cytotox
Prevents EVT death
