Our incomplete knowledge of maternal–fetal interface (MFI) physiology impedes a better understanding of the pathological mechanisms leading to pregnancy complications, such as pre-eclampsia and fetal growth restriction. At the MFI, uterine natu...
Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells constitute a unique uterine leucocyte subpopulation facilitating implantation and maintaining pregnancy. Herein, we critically analyze current evidence regarding the role of uNK cells in the events entailed in recur...
Despite the intricate involvement of the endocannabinoid system in various physiological processes, it remains one of the most under-studied biological systems of the human body. The scope of endocannabinoid signalling is widespread, ranging from mod...
Changes in the number and cytotoxic potential of uterine Natural Killer (uNK) cells have been associated with reduced fertility. To provide a better characterization of immunophenotypes in the endometrium of women with uRPL (unexplained recurrent pre...
The endometrium is necessary for implantation, complete development of the placenta, and a successful pregnancy. The endometrium undergoes repeated cycles of proliferation, decidualization (differentiation), and shedding during each menstrual cycle....
Preeclampsia is one of the three leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. It afflicts 2–8% of pregnancies and is the most common cause of gestational hypertension. This article is focused on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-&kapp...
A growing body of work suggests epigenetic dysregulation contributes to endometriosis pathophysiology and female infertility. The chromatin remodeling complex subunit AT-rich interaction domain 1A (ARID1A) must be properly expressed to maintain norma...
16 June 2022
Placental syndromes include pregnancy loss, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, preterm delivery, premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption and intrauterine fetal demise. This paper discusses the common etiopathogenesis of those syndrom...
The aim of this research was to determine the levels of human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) and endometrial Natural Killer ((e)NK) cell percentages in uterine flushing samples from primary and secondary infertile women. sHLA-G levels were lower in the...
Reproductive immunology is at the forefront of research interests, aiming to better understand the mechanisms of immune regulation during gestation. The relationship between the immune system and the implanting embryo is profound because the embryo i...
Nowadays, recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is an undesirable condition suffered by many patients of reproductive age. In this scenario, certain immune cell populations and molecules, involved in maternal–fetal compatibility, have emerged as facto...
Couple infertility is a multifactorial condition that involves, among other factors, immunological alterations of the endometrium. CD138+ plasma cells and uterine Natural Killer (NK) cells have been associated with implantation failures and recurrent...
A high number of leucocytes reside in the human endometrium and are distributed differentially during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. During early pregnancy, decidual natural killer (dNK) cells are the most common type of natural killer (NK) cells...
Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) play a crucial role in the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells, encompassing both inhibitory and activating types. A higher ratio of cytotoxic to inhibitory receptors may harm successful pr...
Postpartum uterine involution in cattle involves complex morphological and immunological changes essential for restoring uterine health and fertility. This study evaluated endometrial biopsies collected at four postpartum time points to characterize...
Background and Objectives: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) affects 10% of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), spurring exploration into tailored treatments to enhance implantation rates. Maternal immune tolerance towards embryos, pa...
The immunological factor of sterility, specifically the abnormal count and activity of uterine NK (uNK) cells, may represent one of the potential contributors affecting specific subgroups of sterile couples undergoing assisted reproductive treatment...
Natural killer (NK) cells are members of a rapidly expanding family of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). NK cells play roles in the spleen, periphery, and in many tissues, such as the liver, uterine, lung, adipose, and so on. While the immunological func...
Immune tolerance at the feto-maternal interface is crucial for the growth of the semi-allograft fetus in the womb. The outcome of pregnancy is dependent on a fine balance between various immunological forces. For a long time, the potential role of th...
During pregnancy, the placenta, the mother and the fetus exploit several mechanisms in order to avoid fetal rejection and to maintain an immunotolerant environment throughout nine months. During this time, immune cells from the fetal and maternal com...
Ovarian stimulation is associated with an increased incidence of abnormal placentation. Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are the major subpopulation of decidual immune cells, which are crucial for placentation. In a previous study, we found that ov...
The mechanisms of immune tolerance of a mother against an antigenically foreign fetus without a concomitant loss of defense capabilities against pathogens are the factors underlying the success of a pregnancy. A significant role in human defense is p...
The pathogenesis of many serious diseases, including cancer, is closely related to disturbances in the angiogenesis process. Angiogenesis is essential for the progression of tumor growth and metastasis. The tumor microenvironment (TME) has immunosupp...
Natural killer cells (NK cells) exert cytotoxicity towards target cells in several ways, including the expression of apoptosis-mediating ligands (TRAIL, FasL). In addition, NK cells themselves may be susceptible to apoptosis due to the expression of...
NEO-201 is an IgG1 humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) that binds to tumor-associated variants of carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM)-5 and CEACAM-6. NEO-201 reacts to colon, ovarian, pancreatic, non-small cell lung, head...
Seminal plasma (SP) accounts for more than 90% of semen volume. It induces inflammation, regulates immune tolerance, and facilitates embryonic development and implantation in the female reproductive tract. In the physiological state, SP promotes endo...
Oxygen levels in the placental microenvironment throughout gestation are not constant, with severe hypoxic conditions present during the first trimester. This hypoxic phase overlaps with the most critical stages of placental development, i.e., blasto...
Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is a multifactorial condition affecting 10–15% of in vitro fertilization (IVF) couples. Data suggest that functional dysregulation of the endometrial immune system constitutes one of the main pathophysiologi...
The transcription factor Math6, mouse atonal homolog 6, belongs to the family of highly conserved basic helix–loop–helix transcription factors. It plays an important role in embryonic development and shows a wide expression pattern in mur...
Chlamydia trachomatis infection causes pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility, but how host immune factors control pathogen clearance or pathology is not fully understood. Using a mouse model of genital tract infection with Chlamydia muridarum,...
18 September 2024
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes abortions, stillbirths, and dummy pregnancies. Previous studies found that PRRSV can promote secondary bacterial infections and elevate bacterial endotoxin levels, further increasing...
Today, there is strong and diversified evidence that in humans at least 50% of early embryos do not proceed beyond the pre-implantation period. This evidence comes from clinical investigations, demography, epidemiology, embryology, immunology, and mo...
Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a complex early pregnancy complication affecting 1–2% of couples and is often linked to immune dysfunction. Aberrations in T and B cell subpopulations, as well as natural killer (NK) cell activity, are particul...
A limited period of endometrial receptivity is defined by molecular interactions between the embryo and maternal tissues, which are crucial for successful implantation. The results of clinical studies assessing intrauterine human chorionic gonadotrop...
In women with unexplained infertility (UI) and recurrent in vitro fertilization (IVF) failures, the etiology is often unclear. Endometrial immune perturbations and the use of immune markers associated with these dysregulations are of great interest i...
Repeated embryo implantation failures (RIF) is a source of distress and frustration for patients and clinicians alike. Today’s approaches for treating RIF are largely empirical and have limited effectiveness. The main causes of RIF are poor end...