Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition

During pregnancy in larger mammals, the maternal immune system must tolerate the fetus for months while resisting external infection. This tolerance is facilitated by immunological communication between the fetus and the mother, which is mediated by Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I) protein...

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Main Authors: Anna Rapacz-Leonard, Małgorzata Dąbrowska, Tomasz Janowski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:Mediators of Inflammation
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/579279
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author Anna Rapacz-Leonard
Małgorzata Dąbrowska
Tomasz Janowski
author_facet Anna Rapacz-Leonard
Małgorzata Dąbrowska
Tomasz Janowski
author_sort Anna Rapacz-Leonard
collection DOAJ
description During pregnancy in larger mammals, the maternal immune system must tolerate the fetus for months while resisting external infection. This tolerance is facilitated by immunological communication between the fetus and the mother, which is mediated by Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I) proteins, by leukocytes, and by the cytokines secreted by the leukocytes. Fetal-maternal immunological communication also supports pregnancy by inducing physiological changes in the mother. If the mother “misunderstands” the signal sent by the fetus during pregnancy, the fetus will be miscarried or delivered preterm. Unlike any other maternal organ, the placenta can express paternal antigens. At parturition, paternal antigens are known to be expressed in cows and may be expressed in horses, possibly so that the maternal immune system will reject the placenta and help to expel it. This review compares fetal-maternal crosstalk that is mediated by the immune system in three species with pregnancies that last for nine months or longer: humans, cattle, and horses. It raises the possibility that immunological communication early in pregnancy may prepare the mother for successful expulsion of fetal membranes at parturition.
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spelling doaj-art-97936d08af8840ea9e8049264df0909b2025-08-20T02:09:52ZengWileyMediators of Inflammation0962-93511466-18612014-01-01201410.1155/2014/579279579279Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during ParturitionAnna Rapacz-Leonard0Małgorzata Dąbrowska1Tomasz Janowski2Department of Animal Reproduction with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, ul. Oczapowskiego 14, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, ul. Oczapowskiego 14, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDepartment of Animal Reproduction with Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, ul. Oczapowskiego 14, 10-719 Olsztyn, PolandDuring pregnancy in larger mammals, the maternal immune system must tolerate the fetus for months while resisting external infection. This tolerance is facilitated by immunological communication between the fetus and the mother, which is mediated by Major Histocompatibility Complex I (MHC I) proteins, by leukocytes, and by the cytokines secreted by the leukocytes. Fetal-maternal immunological communication also supports pregnancy by inducing physiological changes in the mother. If the mother “misunderstands” the signal sent by the fetus during pregnancy, the fetus will be miscarried or delivered preterm. Unlike any other maternal organ, the placenta can express paternal antigens. At parturition, paternal antigens are known to be expressed in cows and may be expressed in horses, possibly so that the maternal immune system will reject the placenta and help to expel it. This review compares fetal-maternal crosstalk that is mediated by the immune system in three species with pregnancies that last for nine months or longer: humans, cattle, and horses. It raises the possibility that immunological communication early in pregnancy may prepare the mother for successful expulsion of fetal membranes at parturition.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/579279
spellingShingle Anna Rapacz-Leonard
Małgorzata Dąbrowska
Tomasz Janowski
Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition
Mediators of Inflammation
title Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition
title_full Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition
title_fullStr Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition
title_full_unstemmed Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition
title_short Major Histocompatibility Complex I Mediates Immunological Tolerance of the Trophoblast during Pregnancy and May Mediate Rejection during Parturition
title_sort major histocompatibility complex i mediates immunological tolerance of the trophoblast during pregnancy and may mediate rejection during parturition
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/579279
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AT małgorzatadabrowska majorhistocompatibilitycompleximediatesimmunologicaltoleranceofthetrophoblastduringpregnancyandmaymediaterejectionduringparturition
AT tomaszjanowski majorhistocompatibilitycompleximediatesimmunologicaltoleranceofthetrophoblastduringpregnancyandmaymediaterejectionduringparturition