Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.

Pregnancy is a leading risk factor for severe complications during an influenza virus infection. Women infected during their second and third trimesters are at increased risk for severe cardiopulmonary complications, premature delivery, and death. Here, we establish a murine model of aerosolized inf...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michael A Pazos, Thomas A Kraus, César Muñoz-Fontela, Thomas M Moran
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0040502&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849727585317027840
author Michael A Pazos
Thomas A Kraus
César Muñoz-Fontela
Thomas M Moran
author_facet Michael A Pazos
Thomas A Kraus
César Muñoz-Fontela
Thomas M Moran
author_sort Michael A Pazos
collection DOAJ
description Pregnancy is a leading risk factor for severe complications during an influenza virus infection. Women infected during their second and third trimesters are at increased risk for severe cardiopulmonary complications, premature delivery, and death. Here, we establish a murine model of aerosolized influenza infection during pregnancy. We find significantly altered innate antiviral responses in pregnant mice, including decreased levels of IFN-β, IL-1α, and IFN-γ at early time points of infection. We also find reduced cytotoxic T cell activity and delayed viral clearance. We further demonstrate that pregnancy levels of the estrogen 17-β-estradiol are able to induce key anti-inflammatory phenotypes in immune responses to the virus independently of other hormones or pregnancy-related stressors. We conclude that elevated estrogen levels result in an attenuated anti-viral immune response, and that pregnancy-associated morbidities occur in the context of this anti-inflammatory phenotype.
format Article
id doaj-art-0ac8d58bc0774108907e53b6e50f30be
institution DOAJ
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2012-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-0ac8d58bc0774108907e53b6e50f30be2025-08-20T03:09:48ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0177e4050210.1371/journal.pone.0040502Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.Michael A PazosThomas A KrausCésar Muñoz-FontelaThomas M MoranPregnancy is a leading risk factor for severe complications during an influenza virus infection. Women infected during their second and third trimesters are at increased risk for severe cardiopulmonary complications, premature delivery, and death. Here, we establish a murine model of aerosolized influenza infection during pregnancy. We find significantly altered innate antiviral responses in pregnant mice, including decreased levels of IFN-β, IL-1α, and IFN-γ at early time points of infection. We also find reduced cytotoxic T cell activity and delayed viral clearance. We further demonstrate that pregnancy levels of the estrogen 17-β-estradiol are able to induce key anti-inflammatory phenotypes in immune responses to the virus independently of other hormones or pregnancy-related stressors. We conclude that elevated estrogen levels result in an attenuated anti-viral immune response, and that pregnancy-associated morbidities occur in the context of this anti-inflammatory phenotype.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0040502&type=printable
spellingShingle Michael A Pazos
Thomas A Kraus
César Muñoz-Fontela
Thomas M Moran
Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.
PLoS ONE
title Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.
title_full Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.
title_fullStr Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.
title_full_unstemmed Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.
title_short Estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice.
title_sort estrogen mediates innate and adaptive immune alterations to influenza infection in pregnant mice
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0040502&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT michaelapazos estrogenmediatesinnateandadaptiveimmunealterationstoinfluenzainfectioninpregnantmice
AT thomasakraus estrogenmediatesinnateandadaptiveimmunealterationstoinfluenzainfectioninpregnantmice
AT cesarmunozfontela estrogenmediatesinnateandadaptiveimmunealterationstoinfluenzainfectioninpregnantmice
AT thomasmmoran estrogenmediatesinnateandadaptiveimmunealterationstoinfluenzainfectioninpregnantmice