| 1. |
- Ekerfelt, Christina, et al.
(författare)
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Spontaneous secretion of interleukin-4, interleukin-10 and interferon-gamma by first trimester decidual mononuclear cells
- 2002
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Ingår i: American Journal of reproductive immunology. - : Wiley. - 8755-8920 .- 1046-7408. ; 47:3, s. 159-166
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PROBLEM: A T-helper cell type 2 (Th2) cytokine dominated microenvironment has been predicted to be crucial for successful pregnancy. However, little information is available about local cytokine secretion in the human decidua. We determined the spontaneous secretion of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-10 by decidual mononuclear cells at the single cell level and compared it with their secretion by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in the first trimester of pregnancy. METHODS OF STUDY: The cytokine secretion from decidual and blood cells was detected by a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot-forming cell (ELISPOT)-assay. RESULTS: Cells secreting IL-4 (median 153, range 8–530), IL-10 (median 188, range 32–1600) and IFN-γ (median 123, range 15–1140) were detected in all decidual and blood samples. The cytokine secretion showed a co-linear pattern in both the blood and decidua, i.e. when one cytokine was secreted at high levels, the others followed the trend. No correlation was found between the number of cytokine secreting cells in blood and decidua for any of the cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin-4 and IL-10 are locally secreted in the decidua early during normal pregnancy, probably counteracting the fetal rejecting effects of co-expressed IFN-γ. The cytokine secretion by blood cells does not generally reflect the local secretion pattern during first trimester pregnancy.
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| 2. |
- Gustafsson (Lidström), Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Cytokine secretion in decidual mononuclear cells from term human pregnancy with or without labour : ELISPOT detection of IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-beta and TNF-alpha
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of reproductive immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378. ; 71:1, s. 41-56
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cytokines are believed to be important in maintaining pregnancy and in the process of labour induction in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the secretion of the cytokines interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in decidual tissue with or without labour. Decidual tissue was collected from 32 healthy women undergoing elective caesarean sections before the onset of labour (n = 17) or after normal vaginal delivery (n = 15). Mononuclear cells were analysed for cytokine secretion with ELISPOT. To validate the widely used method of tissue collected at caesarean sections and after vaginal deliveries as a representative of before and after labour, respectively, placenta biopsies were collected from 12 healthy women to study the expression of the prostaglandin pathway enzymes cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase (mPGES). Decidual mononuclear cells from term human pregnancy spontaneously secrete IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β and TNF-α. No difference was seen in cytokine secretion with or without labour, indicating that decidual leukocytes are not the main cell population responsible for plausible cytokine regulation in the process of termination of pregnancy. Placental tissues obtained after vaginal delivery showed a higher mRNA expression of the prostaglandin regulating molecules COX-2 and mPGES than tissues from caesarean sections before the onset of labour, validating that the model can be used as a representative of the state before and after labour.
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| 3. |
- Jonsson, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Cytokine mapping of sera from women with preeclampsia and from women with normal pregnancies
- 2006
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378. ; 70:1-2, s. 83-91
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific syndrome. The immune system in preeclampsia is changed with an increased innate activity and there is a hypothesis of a shift towards Th1-type immunity. The aim of this study was to determine a spectrum of soluble immunological factors denoting different aspects of immune activation in third trimester sera from women with preeclampsia (N = 15) and compare with levels in sera from normal pregnant women (N = 15). Material and methods IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 p40, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IFN-α, IFN-γ, TNF-α, GM-CSF, MIP-lα, MIP-1β, MCP-1, eotaxin and RANTES were measured in serum using multiplex bead arrays. The levels of soluble CD14 and soluble IL-4 receptor were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA). Results Preeclamptic women had significantly increased levels of circulating IL-6 (p = 0.002), IL-8 (p = 0.003) and soluble IL-4R (p = 0.037), compared to women with normal pregnancies. Conclusion This study supports the hypothesis of increased inflammatory responses in preeclampsia, illustrated by the increased levels of IL-6 and IL-8. The finding of increased levels of soluble IL-4 receptor is an intriguing finding with several interpretations, which may partly support the hypothesis of a Th1 shift in preeclampsia.
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| 4. |
- Jonsson, Yvonne, 1974-
(författare)
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Cytokines and immune balance in preeclampsia : a survey of some immunological variables and methods in the study of preeclampsia
- 2005
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Preeclampsia is one of the most feared pregnancy complications, with a risk of maternal and fetal death and with no ideal therapy readily available. The cause of this strictly pregnancyrelated disease is still unknown and is therefore a great challenge to all researchers in the field of pregnancy-related pathophysiology.Today, the dominating theory of the origin of preeclampsia is defective initial placentation with insufficient penetration of the trophoblasts, leading to impaired maternal blood flow through narrow spiral arteries. However, the cause of this defective trophoblast behavior is not known. The maternal immune system has been proposed to have an influence on both the placentation and the subsequent systemic reactions. Therefore, it is very interesting to study the maternal immune system during preeclampsia, in hope of achieving a better understanding of this puzzling disease.Earlier studies have suggested that normal pregnancy requires a shift to a Th2/antiinflammatory type of immunity, at least directed towards the fetus and placenta, while some pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, could be due to a skewed Th1/proinflammatory type of immunity. However, the results from earlier studies designed to test the Th1/Th2 hypothesis in preeclampsia have not been consistent. Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to examine if established preeclampsia is associated with increased innate inflammatory responses and a deviation of adaptive responses towards Th1 when compared with normal pregnancy.Enumerations of cytokine-producing cells from peripheral blood did not show any difference in the production of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 between women with preeclampsia and normal pregnancies. However, a decrease in the spontaneously produced levels of IL-5 was detected in cell cultures on peripheral blood mononuclear cells in women with preeclampsia. Furthermore, a decreased production of IL-10 in response to paternal antigens, believed to represent the fetus, was also detected for the preeclamptic women.Serum analysis showed increased levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6 and IL-8 during preeclampsia. Also, preeclamptic women displayed increased serum levels of the soluble IL-4 receptor, but no difference in the levels of IL-4 compared to normal pregnant women. This was an elusive finding, since the receptor was originally thought to reflect the levels of IL-4, but has recently been shown to have both agonistic and antagonistic properties on the IL-4 levels. Further studies of the local immune responses in the placenta showed no difference in the immunohistochemical staining of IL-4 and TNF-α between women with preeclampsia and women with normal pregnancies. In general, there were no hallmarks of abnormal morphology in the placental sections examined, regardless of diagnosis.In conclusion, the decreased levels of IL-10 in response to paternal antigens and the systemically increased levels of IL-6 and IL-8 suggest a specific decrease in antiinflammatory responses towards fetal antigens, together with a systemic activation of proinflammatory mediators during preeclampsia. Furthermore, the decreased production of IL-5 also indicates, at least partly, decreased Th2 responses in the established preeclampsia.
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| 5. |
- Jonsson, Yvonne, et al.
(författare)
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Indications of an altered immune balance in preeclampsia : A decrease in in vitro secretion of IL-5 and IL-10 from blood mononuclear cells and in blood basophil counts compared with normal pregnancy
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378. ; 66:1, s. 69-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- It has been suggested that maladaptation of the maternal immune response during pregnancy might be a causal factor for preeclampsia. This study was designed to examine the systemic immune status at both the innate level and the adaptive level in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia (n = 15) and normal pregnancies (n = 15). Spontaneous and in vitro-induced secretion of IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and TNF-α, in response to paternal blood cells and the vaccination antigens purified protein derivate of tuberculin (PPD) and tetanus toxoid (TT), was detected in cell culture supernatants from blood mononuclear cells by ELISA. Preeclamptic women showed reduced numbers of basophil granulocytes in the blood (p = 0.004) and lower spontaneous secretion of IL-5 from blood mononuclear cells (p = 0.016). In addition, paternal antigen-induced secretion of IL-10 was decreased in preeclampsia compared with normal pregnancy (p = 0.012). No further differences between preeclampsia and normal pregnancy were found for any stimuli or cytokines. The present findings of reduced basophil numbers and lower spontaneous in vitro secretion of IL-5 in preeclampsia compared with normal pregnancy indicate a decrease in systemic Th2 immunity in preeclampsia. Furthermore, the decrease in paternal antigen-induced secretion of the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-10 in preeclampsia indicates a fetus-specific decrease in immunosuppression mediated by blood mononuclear cells. Whether these systemic changes are a cause or a consequence of preeclampsia remains to be elucidated.
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| 6. |
- Lidström Gustafsson, Charlotte, et al.
(författare)
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Cytokine secretion patterns of NK cells and macrophages in early human pregnancy decidua and blood : Implications for suppressor macrophages in decidua
- 2003
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Ingår i: American Journal of reproductive immunology. - : Wiley. - 8755-8920 .- 1046-7408 .- 1600-0897. ; 50:6, s. 444-452
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Problem: Local immune modulation has been shown to be of considerable importance for the maintenance of successful pregnancy. We have previously reported the secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10 in human decidua from early normal pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular source of cytokine secretion in the decidua, and compare this to secretion patterns in peripheral blood. Method of study: Decidual tissue and peripheral blood was collected from 20 women undergoing surgical abortion during first trimester pregnancy. Monocytes/macrophages and NK cells were enriched by immunomagnetic cell separation and cytokine secretion was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot-forming cell assay. Results: Decidual and peripheral monocytes/macrophages and NK cells spontaneously secrete IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10. The number of IL-10 secreting cells was significantly higher in decidual macrophages compared with decidual non-monocytic cells as well as compared with blood monocytes/macrophages. These differences were not seen for IFN-γ or IL-4. Conclusions: Our results indicate that decidual macrophages subserve important suppressive functions in the pregnant uterus.
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| 7. |
- Matthiesen, Leif, 1954-, et al.
(författare)
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Immunology of preeclampsia
- 2005
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Ingår i: Immunology of pregnancy. - Basel, Switzerland : S. Karger. - 9783805579704 - 9783318012484 ; , s. 49-61
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Preeclampsia is a placenta-dependent disorder with both local and systemic anomalies with neonatal and maternal morbidity. It is manifested late in pregnancy, but the onset is during early stages of gestation. The current hypothesis regarding the aetiology of preeclampsia is focused on maladaptation of immune responses and defective trophoblast invasion. Thus, an excessive maternal inflammatory response, perhaps directed against foreign fetal antigens, results in a chain of events including shallow trophoblast invasion, defective spiral artery remodelling, placental infarction and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and placental fragments in the systemic circulation. During normal pregnancy, trophoblasts interact in the decidua with the unique uterine NK cells, modifying their cytokine repertoire, regulating adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteinases. The inability of trophoblasts to accomplish these changes might be a critical factor for the onset of preeclampsia. Several cytokines, produced at the maternal-fetal interface, have an impact on trophoblast invasion. It is suggested that deficiency of interleukin-10 may contribute to enhanced inflammatory responses towards the trophoblasts elicited by e.g. tumour necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ. Consequently, trophoblasts subjected to a high rate of apoptosis are hampered in their invasive capacity resulting in defective transformation of spiral arteries, hypoxia, thrombosis and infarction of the placenta. The ensuing infarction of placenta leads to leakage of increasing amounts of placental fragments and cytokines in the maternal circulation and an exaggerated systemic endothelial activation as identified in preeclampsia. So far, treatment of preeclampsia is focused on signs like hypertension, whereas attempts of modifying immune responses may be a possibility in the future.
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| 8. |
- Matthiesen, Leif, 1954-, et al.
(författare)
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In-situ detection of both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells during pregnancy
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - 0165-0378 .- 1872-7603. ; 58:1, s. 49-59
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Local and possibly systemic curtailment of the maternal immune response is important for a successful pregnancy. Although the local milieu at the utero-placental interface is likely to harbor the most prominent alterations, it is suggested, at least in mice, that systemic immunity is also tolerized during pregnancy. In the present study, we investigated mRNA expression of the key immunomodulatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a and interferon (IFN)-? during normal pregnancy. Material and methods: In-situ hybridization (ISH) of cytokine mRNA in resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was used to detect the number of cells spontaneously expressing cytokines. Eleven women with normal gestations were followed during pregnancy as well as 8 weeks postpartum, and compared with 10 non-pregnant healthy controls. Results: The numbers of IFN-? and IL-4 mRNA expressing cells were found to be significantly increased during pregnancy and postpartum compared with non-pregnant controls. Pregnant women and non-pregnant controls did not differ in their expression of TNF-a and IL-10. Conclusion: Our studies demonstrated increased numbers of both IFN-? and IL-4 mRNA expressing cells in blood suggesting that systemic immunomodulation, albeit partial, takes place during normal pregnancy. It is proposed that enhanced IL-4 expression, possibly in concert with other elevated anti-inflammatory immunomodulatory cytokines, curtail the potentially hazardous effects of IFN-? on systemic immunity during pregnancy.
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| 9. |
- Persson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Increased circulating paternal antigen-specific IFN-γ- and IL-4-secreting cells during pregnancy in allergic and non-allergic women
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0165-0378 .- 1872-7603. ; 79:1, s. 70-78
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Allergic women have been reported to give birth to more children than non-allergic women, speculatively explained by the former's predisposition for Th2 polarization, possibly favoring pregnancy.AIM: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that allergy is associated with more Th2-deviated responses to paternal antigens throughout pregnancy.METHODS: Blood samples were collected on six occasions during pregnancy and two occasions postpartum (pp). Of the 86 women initially included, 54 women had a normal pregnancy and completed the sampling procedures. Eleven women fulfilled the strict criteria for allergy (allergic symptoms and circulating IgE antibodies to inhalant allergens) and 23 were strictly non-allergic (non-sensitized without symptoms). The numbers of blood mononuclear cells secreting IFN-gamma and IL-4, spontaneously and in response to paternal alloantigens, were compared between the groups.RESULTS: The numbers of spontaneously as well as paternal antigen-induced IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells were similar in allergic and non-allergic pregnant women on all occasions. A similar increase in the numbers of both IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells were found in allergic and non-allergic women during pregnancy, both regarding spontaneous and paternal antigen-induced secretion.CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support the hypothesis of a more pronounced Th2-deviation to paternal antigens in allergic pregnant women compared with non-allergic pregnant women, as measured by number of cytokine-secreting cells. The observed increase of both IFN-gamma- and IL-4-secreting cells during normal pregnancy may be interpreted as a Th2-situation, since the effects of IL-4 predominate over the effects of IFN-gamma.
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| 10. |
- Persson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Reduced IFN-γ and IL-10 responses to paternal antigens during and after pregnancy in allergic women
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Reproductive Immunology. - : Elsevier. - 0165-0378 .- 1872-7603. ; 95:1-2, s. 50-58
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Normal pregnancy and allergy are both characterized by a T helper (Th) 2 deviation. In the current study, we hypothesized that paternal antigen-induced cytokine responses during pregnancy would be deviated toward Th2 and an anti-inflammatory profile, and that the Th2 deviation would be more pronounced in allergic pregnant women. Blood samples were collected longitudinally on three occasions during pregnancy and two occasions post partum (pp). Of the 86 women initially included, 54 women had a normal pregnancy and completed the sampling procedures. Twelve women fulfilled the criteria for allergy (allergic symptoms and circulating immunoglobulin [Ig] E antibodies to inhalant allergens) and 20 were non-allergic (nonsensitized without symptoms). The levels of Th1- and Th2-associated cytokines and chemokines, the Th17 cytokine IL-17 and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 of the groups were compared. Paternal antigen-induced IL-4 and IL-10 responses increased between the first and the third trimester. Allergy was associated with decreased paternal antigen-induced IFN-γ and CXCL10 secretion in the nonpregnant state (one year pp) and also decreased IFN-γ/IL-4 and IFN-γ/IL-13 ratios during pregnancy. We also observed a decreased paternal antigen-induced IL-10 response in allergic compared with non-allergic women during pregnancy, along with a decreased IL-10/IL-13 ratio. In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis of lower Th1 responses toward paternal antigens in allergic than in non-allergic women, but also indicate that allergy is associated with a lower capacity to induce anti-inflammatory IL-10 responses after paternal antigen stimulation during pregnancy.
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