Inflammation, NK cells and implantation: friend and foe (the good, the bad and the ugly?): replacing placental viviparity in an evolutionary perspective

Chaouat G, G. Chaouat, Gérard Chaouat
Journal of reproductive immunology · 2013 · vol. 97(1) , pp. 2–13 · doi:10.1016/j.jri.2012.10.009 · PMID:23347505 · W2109208786
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This paper reviews the dual role of inflammation and NK cells in placental implantation, discussing their positive contributions to pregnancy establishment and their negative consequences that can lead to pregnancy failure.

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Abstract

This review summarises an invited talk presented at the 2012 ESRI/ASRI meeting in Hamburg, concerning current views of inflammation in pregnancy, which is timely given that the effects of a local injury in the uterus acts to favour implantation. Recalling that inflammation can be good (it is useful and necessary for implantation), bad (in implantation failure, RSA) and ugly (at the extreme, endometriosis is associated with pain and infertility) leads to consideration of its status in pregnancy. Its role in implantation and the fact that pregnancy maintains some aspects of inflammation throughout, leads to revision of not only concepts of immunosuppression and the Th1/Th2 paradigm, but also the feto-maternal relationship as seen since Medawar's hypotheses were advanced. This is examined from an evolutionary perspective, which should lead to further review of our perception of uterine NK cells, and the emergence of Treg cells to control some aspects of adaptive immunity, which appeared long after placentation.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Biological Evolution Embryo Implantation Endometriosis Killer Cells, Natural Placenta Viviparity, Nonmammalian Animals Embryo Implantation Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Immune Tolerance Inflammation Inflammation Killer Cells, Natural Placenta Pregnancy Pregnancy Th1-Th2 Balance

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europepmc
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openalex
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pubmed
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License: CC0 · commercial use OK