Frontiers in Immunology (Oct 2023)

Uterine Nodal expression supports maternal immunotolerance and establishment of the FOXP3+ regulatory T cell population during the preimplantation period

  • Sarah Yull,
  • Sarah Yull,
  • Shiva Shafiei,
  • Shiva Shafiei,
  • Craig B. Park,
  • Parinaz Kazemi,
  • Parinaz Kazemi,
  • Emily B. Tiemann,
  • Marie-Hélène Godin Pagé,
  • Marie-Hélène Godin Pagé,
  • Daniel Dufort,
  • Daniel Dufort,
  • Daniel Dufort,
  • Daniel Dufort

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1276979
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14

Abstract

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Pregnancy success is dependent on the establishment of maternal tolerance during the preimplantation period. The immunosuppressive function of regulatory T cells is critical to limit inflammation arising from implantation of the semi-allogeneic blastocyst. Insufficient maternal immune adaptations to pregnancy have been frequently associated with cases of female infertility and recurrent implantation failure. The role of Nodal, a secreted morphogen of the TGFβ superfamily, was recently implicated during murine pregnancy as its conditional deletion (NodalΔ/Δ) in the female reproductive tract resulted in severe subfertility. Here, it was determined that despite normal preimplantation processes and healthy, viable embryos, NodalΔ/Δ females had a 50% implantation failure rate compared to NodalloxP/loxP controls. Prior to implantation, the expression of inflammatory cytokines MCP-1, G-CSF, IFN-γ and IL-10 was dysregulated in the NodalΔ/Δ uterus. Further analysis of the preimplantation leukocyte populations in NodalΔ/Δ uteri showed an overabundance of infiltrating, pro-inflammatory CD11bhigh Ly6C+ macrophages coupled with the absence of CD4+ FOXP3+ regulatory T cells. Therefore, it is proposed that uterine Nodal expression during the preimplantation period has a novel role in the establishment of maternal immunotolerance, and its dysregulation should be considered as a potential contributor to cases of female infertility and recurrent implantation failure.

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