Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy
In addition to providing a physical compartment for gestation, the fetal membranes (FM) are an active immunological barrier that provides defense against pathogenic microorganisms that ascend the gravid reproductive tract. Pathogenic infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leadin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00565/full |
| _version_ | 1818792296018083840 |
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| author | Sean M. Harris Erica Boldenow Steven E. Domino Rita Loch-Caruso |
| author_facet | Sean M. Harris Erica Boldenow Steven E. Domino Rita Loch-Caruso |
| author_sort | Sean M. Harris |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In addition to providing a physical compartment for gestation, the fetal membranes (FM) are an active immunological barrier that provides defense against pathogenic microorganisms that ascend the gravid reproductive tract. Pathogenic infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leading known cause of preterm birth (PTB). Some environmental toxicants decrease the capacity for organisms to mount an immune defense against pathogens. For example, the immunosuppressive effects of the widespread environmental contaminant trichloroethylene (TCE) are documented for lung infection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. Group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae) is a bacterial pathogen that is frequently found in the female reproductive tract and can colonize the FM in pregnant women. Work in our laboratory has demonstrated that a bioactive TCE metabolite, S-(1, 2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC), potently inhibits innate immune responses to GBS in human FM in culture. Despite these provocative findings, little is known about how DCVC and other toxicants modify the risk for pathogenic infection of FM. Infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leading known cause of PTB, therefore toxicant compromise of FM ability to fight off infectious microorganisms could significantly contribute to PTB risk. This Perspective provides the current status of understanding of toxicant-pathogen interactions in FM, highlighting knowledge gaps, challenges, and opportunities for research that can advance protections for maternal and fetal health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T15:24:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0431d31e0ce3452b9e995b8a6ca3a041 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T15:24:59Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0431d31e0ce3452b9e995b8a6ca3a0412022-12-21T21:03:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2020-05-011110.3389/fphys.2020.00565541048Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and PregnancySean M. Harris0Erica Boldenow1Steven E. Domino2Rita Loch-Caruso3Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Biology, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, United StatesDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesDepartment of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United StatesIn addition to providing a physical compartment for gestation, the fetal membranes (FM) are an active immunological barrier that provides defense against pathogenic microorganisms that ascend the gravid reproductive tract. Pathogenic infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leading known cause of preterm birth (PTB). Some environmental toxicants decrease the capacity for organisms to mount an immune defense against pathogens. For example, the immunosuppressive effects of the widespread environmental contaminant trichloroethylene (TCE) are documented for lung infection with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. Group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae) is a bacterial pathogen that is frequently found in the female reproductive tract and can colonize the FM in pregnant women. Work in our laboratory has demonstrated that a bioactive TCE metabolite, S-(1, 2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC), potently inhibits innate immune responses to GBS in human FM in culture. Despite these provocative findings, little is known about how DCVC and other toxicants modify the risk for pathogenic infection of FM. Infection of the gestational tissues (FM and placenta) is a leading known cause of PTB, therefore toxicant compromise of FM ability to fight off infectious microorganisms could significantly contribute to PTB risk. This Perspective provides the current status of understanding of toxicant-pathogen interactions in FM, highlighting knowledge gaps, challenges, and opportunities for research that can advance protections for maternal and fetal health.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00565/fullfetal membranestoxicant pathogen interactionspreterm birth (PTB)pregnancytrichloroethylene (TCE) |
| spellingShingle | Sean M. Harris Erica Boldenow Steven E. Domino Rita Loch-Caruso Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy Frontiers in Physiology fetal membranes toxicant pathogen interactions preterm birth (PTB) pregnancy trichloroethylene (TCE) |
| title | Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy |
| title_full | Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy |
| title_fullStr | Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy |
| title_short | Toxicant Disruption of Immune Defenses: Potential Implications for Fetal Membranes and Pregnancy |
| title_sort | toxicant disruption of immune defenses potential implications for fetal membranes and pregnancy |
| topic | fetal membranes toxicant pathogen interactions preterm birth (PTB) pregnancy trichloroethylene (TCE) |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphys.2020.00565/full |
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