Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus
Pregnancies with a male fetus are associated with higher risks of pregnancy complications through maladaptation of the maternal immune system. The pathophysiology of this phenomenon is unknown. A possible pathway could be a fetal sex-dependent maternal immune response, since males have a Y chromosom...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Immunology Research |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1950879 |
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| author | Tom E. C. Kieffer Anne Laskewitz Marijke M. Faas Sicco A. Scherjon Jan Jaap H. M. Erwich Sanne J. Gordijn Jelmer R. Prins |
| author_facet | Tom E. C. Kieffer Anne Laskewitz Marijke M. Faas Sicco A. Scherjon Jan Jaap H. M. Erwich Sanne J. Gordijn Jelmer R. Prins |
| author_sort | Tom E. C. Kieffer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pregnancies with a male fetus are associated with higher risks of pregnancy complications through maladaptation of the maternal immune system. The pathophysiology of this phenomenon is unknown. A possible pathway could be a fetal sex-dependent maternal immune response, since males have a Y chromosome encoding specific allogenic proteins, possibly contributing to a different response and higher complication risks. To analyze whether fetal sex affects mRNA expression of maternal immune genes in early pregnancy, real-time PCR quantification was performed in the decidual tissue from primigravid pregnancies (n=20) between 10 and 12 weeks with uncomplicated term outcomes. Early-pregnancy decidual mRNA expression of the regulatory T-cell marker, FOXP3, was sixfold lower (p<0.01) in pregnancies with a male fetus compared to pregnancies with a female fetus. Additionally, mRNA expression of IFNγ was sixfold (p<0.05) lower in pregnancies with a male fetus. The present data imply maternal immunologic differences between pregnancies with male and female fetuses which could be involved in different pregnancy pathophysiologic outcomes. Moreover, this study indicates that researchers in reproductive immunology should always consider fetal sex bias. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4f5e225651e3414e9d97a6167158f990 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2314-8861 2314-7156 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Immunology Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-4f5e225651e3414e9d97a6167158f9902025-02-03T05:58:11ZengWileyJournal of Immunology Research2314-88612314-71562018-01-01201810.1155/2018/19508791950879Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male FetusTom E. C. Kieffer0Anne Laskewitz1Marijke M. Faas2Sicco A. Scherjon3Jan Jaap H. M. Erwich4Sanne J. Gordijn5Jelmer R. Prins6Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Pathology and Medical Biology, Division of Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, NetherlandsPregnancies with a male fetus are associated with higher risks of pregnancy complications through maladaptation of the maternal immune system. The pathophysiology of this phenomenon is unknown. A possible pathway could be a fetal sex-dependent maternal immune response, since males have a Y chromosome encoding specific allogenic proteins, possibly contributing to a different response and higher complication risks. To analyze whether fetal sex affects mRNA expression of maternal immune genes in early pregnancy, real-time PCR quantification was performed in the decidual tissue from primigravid pregnancies (n=20) between 10 and 12 weeks with uncomplicated term outcomes. Early-pregnancy decidual mRNA expression of the regulatory T-cell marker, FOXP3, was sixfold lower (p<0.01) in pregnancies with a male fetus compared to pregnancies with a female fetus. Additionally, mRNA expression of IFNγ was sixfold (p<0.05) lower in pregnancies with a male fetus. The present data imply maternal immunologic differences between pregnancies with male and female fetuses which could be involved in different pregnancy pathophysiologic outcomes. Moreover, this study indicates that researchers in reproductive immunology should always consider fetal sex bias.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1950879 |
| spellingShingle | Tom E. C. Kieffer Anne Laskewitz Marijke M. Faas Sicco A. Scherjon Jan Jaap H. M. Erwich Sanne J. Gordijn Jelmer R. Prins Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus Journal of Immunology Research |
| title | Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus |
| title_full | Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus |
| title_fullStr | Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus |
| title_short | Lower FOXP3 mRNA Expression in First-Trimester Decidual Tissue from Uncomplicated Term Pregnancies with a Male Fetus |
| title_sort | lower foxp3 mrna expression in first trimester decidual tissue from uncomplicated term pregnancies with a male fetus |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/1950879 |
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