Human placental trophoblasts express the immunosuppressive cytokine IL-35

Abstract Studies of maternal–fetal tolerance focus on defining mechanisms for establishment of immunological privilege within the uterus during pregnancy. Fetal trophoblasts play a key role in maternal tolerance, in part through cytokines production. As a novel inhibitory cytokine, IL-35 is produced...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Human immunology 2013-07, Vol.74 (7), p.872-877
Main Authors: Mao, Haiting, Gao, Wenjuan, Ma, Chao, Sun, Jintang, Liu, Jia, Shao, Qianqian, Song, Bingfeng, Qu, Xun
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergy and Immunology
Cells, Cultured
Female
Forkhead Transcription Factors - metabolism
Humans
Immune Tolerance
Interleukin-12 Subunit p35 - genetics
Interleukin-12 Subunit p35 - metabolism
Interleukins - genetics
Interleukins - metabolism
Minor Histocompatibility Antigens
Placental Circulation - immunology
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Trimester, First
Stromal Cells - immunology
T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology
Trophoblasts - immunology
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Summary:Abstract Studies of maternal–fetal tolerance focus on defining mechanisms for establishment of immunological privilege within the uterus during pregnancy. Fetal trophoblasts play a key role in maternal tolerance, in part through cytokines production. As a novel inhibitory cytokine, IL-35 is produced by Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and mediates maximal suppression of Tregs. The purpose of the study is to analyze the expression of IL-35 in first-trimester human placental trophoblasts. IL-35 expression was detected at both protein and mRNA levels by immunohistochemical staining and quantitative real-time PCR method, respectively and secretion of IL-35 was measured by ELISA assay. Our results demonstrated that human trophoblasts constitutively expressed IL-35. Ebi3 and p35 (two subunits of IL-35) mRNA was shown to be co-expressed in trophoblast cells. Moreover, large amounts of secreted IL-35 were detected in the supernatants of trophoblast cells. But we did not detect the constitutive expression of IL-35 in decidual stromal cells. Our findings confirmed for the first time that first-trimester human trophoblast cells expressed and secreted IL-35, which might contribute to their suppressive capacity to maternal immune cells. Therefore, IL-35 may be an important factor of the cytokine network regulating local immune responses during human pregnancy.
ISSN:0198-8859
1879-1166
DOI:10.1016/j.humimm.2013.04.010