1.
Maternal natural killer cells at the intersection between reproduction and mucosal immunity.
Shmeleva, EV, Colucci, F
Mucosal immunology. 2021;(5):991-1005
Abstract
Many maternal immune cells populate the decidua, which is the mucosal lining of the uterus transformed during pregnancy. Here, abundant natural killer (NK) cells and macrophages help the uterine vasculature adapt to fetal demands for gas and nutrients, thereby supporting fetal growth. Fetal trophoblast cells budding off the forming placenta and invading deep into maternal tissues come into contact with these and other immune cells. Besides their homeostatic functions, decidual NK cells can respond to pathogens during infection, but in doing so, they may become conflicted between destroying the invader and sustaining fetoplacental growth. We review how maternal NK cells balance their double duty both in the local microenvironment of the uterus and systemically, during toxoplasmosis, influenza, cytomegalovirus, malaria and other infections that threat pregnancy. We also discuss recent developments in the understanding of NK-cell responses to SARS-Cov-2 infection and the possible dangers of COVID-19 during pregnancy.
2.
Female genital tract microbiota affecting the risk of preterm birth: What do we know so far? A review.
Tsonis, O, Gkrozou, F, Harrison, E, Stefanidis, K, Vrachnis, N, Paschopoulos, M
European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology. 2020;:168-173
Abstract
Spontaneous Preterm birth (SPTB) is a common obstetric complication affecting 12.9 million births worldwide and is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Disruption in the vaginal microbiota has an impact on the maternal immunological profile leading to SPTBs. Scientists have struggled to link maternal infectious agents with the dysregulation of the maternal immune response in cases of SPTBs. Throughout the last decade, important findings regarding the role of microbiota and its genome, the so-called microbiome, have linked alterations within the population of the microorganisms in our bodies with changes in nutrition, immunity, behaviour and diseases. In this review, evidence regarding the female genital tract microbiota and microbiome has been examined to help further our understanding of its role in disrupting the maternal immune system resulting in spontaneous preterm birth.
3.
COVID-19 and hydatidiform mole.
Abbas, AM, Ahmed, L, Salem, AS, Elsamman, SH, Refai, A, Fathy, SK, Ahmed, OA, Shalotut, AS, AbdelWahab, RA
American journal of reproductive immunology (New York, N.Y. : 1989). 2020;(5):e13310
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Abstract
The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic threatens the entire world resulting in severe consequences for people's health. Pregnant patients with COVID-19 had immune dysregulation that could result in abnormal pregnancy outcomes such as hydatidiform mole (HM), recurrent pregnancy loss, and early-onset preeclampsia. In this article, we tried to summarize the possible association between COVID-19 and the HM's development by reviewing the role of NOD-Like Receptor (NLR) Family Pyrin Domain Containing 7 (NLRP7), cytokines, zinc, and leukocytes in the pathogenesis of HM.