Dynamics of effector and naïve Regulatory T cells throughout pregnancy. (August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shigeta, Naoya; Kumasawa, Keiichi; Tanaka, Atsushi; Badger Wing, James; Nakamura, Hitomi; Sakaguchi, Shimon; Kimura, Tadashi
• Is Part Of: Journal of reproductive immunology. Volume 140(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-08
• Subjects: T cell T-lymphocyte -- Treg cell regulatory T cell -- eTreg cell effector regulatory T cell -- nTreg cell naïve regulatory T cell -- non-Treg cell activated non-suppressive conventional T cell -- Foxp3 forkhead box protein p3 -- RTE recent thymic emigrant -- CCR chemokine receptor -- CCL chemokine ligand -- TCR T cell receptor -- HD non-pregnant healthy donor -- MFI Mean fluorescence intensity; Regulatory T cell -- pregnancy -- Foxp3 -- CD45RA; Reproduction -- Immunological aspects -- Periodicals; Immunology -- Periodicals; Allergy and Immunology -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Periodicals; Reproduction -- Immunologie -- Périodiques; Immunologie -- Périodiques; Immunology; Reproduction -- Immunological aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 615.766
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2020.103135
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-0378

Abstract

Highlights: Human regulatory T (Treg) cells differentiated as effector Treg cells and naïve Treg cells. The proportion of Human Treg cells dynamically changed throughout pregnancy and postpartum. The proportion of effector Treg cells decreased at mid pregnancy while naïve Treg cells increased in humans. Abstract: Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a specialized subset of T cells possessing immunosuppressive functions indispensable for the maintenance of self-tolerance and pregnancy. However, how functional Treg cells dynamically change and are engaged in feto-maternal tolerance during human pregnancy is still unclear. Recent studies have shown that functionally distinct and immunosuppressive subsets of Treg cells, i.e., effector Treg (eTreg) and naïve Treg (nTreg) cells, can be delineated by combinations of molecular markers and that their proportions differ in normal and disease states. In this study, we examined how the proportion of eTreg and nTreg cells in peripheral blood changes in the 1 st, 2 nd, and 3 rd trimesters of pregnancy and the postpartum period. During the 2 nd trimester the proportion of eTreg cells was reduced while nTreg cells was increased. This pattern was maintained throughout the 3 rd trimester of pregnancy. The kinetics of eTreg reduction highly correlated with migration of eTreg cells into feto-maternal interface while stable nTreg proportion paralleled with their expression of the anti-apoptotic molecule Bcl-2 and production of thymic emigrant naïve Treg cells. These results suggest that further studies on divergence of functional Treg proportions will be helpful for predicting instability of pregnancy.