Title:
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The role of the major histocompatibility complex-encoded antigens in feto-maternal development in health and disease
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At the feto-maternal interface, trophoblast cells express membrane bound receptors; their
modulation plays a vital role in achieving immune recognition and self-tolerance needed for
pregnancy to develop. Trophoblasts exhibit selective expression of the HLA class la (HLA-C)
and Ib (HLA-G, -E, -F) antigens and are also able to recognise pathogen associated molecular
patterns (P AMPs) through TLRs. The role of these later molecules in pregnancy is not fully
understood, it is likely they form the first line of defence against infection. The hypothesis
derived from the above is that some selectively expressed gene products of the HLA gene family
form preferential physical associations, which contribute to the function of HLA at the fetomaternal
interface and the maternal recognition of the fetus. It is also hypothesised that
trophoblast responses to individual bacterial or viral infection might be different from responses
to dual infection and that viral infection might sensitise the trophoblast for concomitant bacterial
infection. In the course of these studies a novel method that allows detection and quantification
of HLA class I molecules for an accurate measurement of the degree of co localisation on
trophoblast choriocarcinoma cells, ACH-3P and JEG-3 was developed. Trophoblast responses to
TLR-3 ligand poly(I:C) and TLR-4 ligand LPS were investigated by monitoring cell
proliferation, cytoskeletal morphology, NF-KS and COX-2 activation and nanoscale LC-MSIMS
analysis of membrane proteins. Our data shows that the cell-surface HLA class I molecules
HLA-G, -E and -C form preferential heterotypic associations and HLA-GIHLA-E colocalisation
is induced by progesterone and lipopolysaccharide. Dual infection cause a declined cell growth,
cytoskeletal alterations and differential protein expression. It is postulated that at the fetomaternal
interface, both the innate and adaptive immunity are functionally modulated and this
facilitates the maternal immune adjustment for the semi-allogenic fetus as well as pathogen
recognition.
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