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Publicação
Control of Uterine Microenvironment by Foxp3+ Cells Facilitates Embryo Implantation
Orientador(es)
Resumo(s)
Implantation of the fertilized egg into the maternal uterus depends on the fine balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes. Whilst regulatory T cells (Tregs) are reportedly involved in protection of allogeneic fetuses against rejection by the maternal immune system, their role for pregnancy to establish, e.g., blastocyst implantation, is not clear. By using 2-photon imaging we show that Foxp3(+) cells accumulated in the mouse uterus during the receptive phase of the estrus cycle. Seminal fluid further fostered Treg expansion. Depletion of Tregs in two Foxp3.DTR-based models prior to pairing drastically impaired implantation and resulted in infiltration of activated T effector cells as well as in uterine inflammation and fibrosis in both allogeneic and syngeneic mating combinations. Genetic deletion of the homing receptor CCR7 interfered with accumulation of Tregs in the uterus and implantation indicating that homing of Tregs to the uterus was mediated by CCR7. Our results demonstrate that Tregs play a critical role in embryo implantation by preventing the development of a hostile uterine microenvironment.
Descrição
Palavras-chave
regulatory T cells implantation pregnancy fibrosis inflammation
Contexto Educativo
Citação
Teles A, Schumacher A, Kühnle M-C, Linzke N, Thuere C, Reichardt P, Tadokoro CE, Hämmerling GJ and Zenclussen AC (2013) Control of uterine microenvironment by Foxp3+ cells facilitates embryo implantation. Front. Immunol. 4:158. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2013.00158 Günter J. Hämmerling and Ana Claudia Zenclussen are co-senior authors.
Editora
Frontiers Research Foundation