Heather Huddleston1, Danny J Schust. 1. Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Abstract
PROBLEMS: Viruses and fetuses face similar immunologic challenges. Each must evade immune detection and destruction. The virus must avoid host recognition of intracellular infection; the fetus allogenic recognition. Each has manipulated the process of antigen presentation to allow survival in an immunologic environment otherwise predictably hostile. How have these approaches co-evolved? What can they teach us about viral pathogenesis and immunologic interactions at the maternal-fetal interface? METHOD OF STUDY: Review of relevant literature. RESULTS: Special classical and non-classical MHC class I products are spared from downregulation in the placenta and from viral immunoevasive strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Viruses rely upon some of the same strategies to avoid immune detection as do trophoblast cells. In the future, viral infections may prove a useful tool for studies of immunology at the maternal-fetal interface.
PROBLEMS: Viruses and fetuses face similar immunologic challenges. Each must evade immune detection and destruction. The virus must avoid host recognition of intracellular infection; the fetus allogenic recognition. Each has manipulated the process of antigen presentation to allow survival in an immunologic environment otherwise predictably hostile. How have these approaches co-evolved? What can they teach us about viral pathogenesis and immunologic interactions at the maternal-fetal interface? METHOD OF STUDY: Review of relevant literature. RESULTS: Special classical and non-classical MHC class I products are spared from downregulation in the placenta and from viral immunoevasive strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Viruses rely upon some of the same strategies to avoid immune detection as do trophoblast cells. In the future, viral infections may prove a useful tool for studies of immunology at the maternal-fetal interface.
Authors: Jessica G Drenzek; Jolanta Vidiguriene; Geminis Vidiguris; Richard L Grendell; Svetlana V Dambaeva; Maureen Durning; Thaddeus G Golos Journal: Am J Reprod Immunol Date: 2009-04-22 Impact factor: 3.886