Cutting edge: committed Th1 CD4+ T cell differentiation blocks pregnancy-induced Foxp3 expression with antigen-specific fetal loss

J Immunol. 2014 Apr 1;192(7):2970-4. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302678. Epub 2014 Mar 3.

Abstract

Pregnancy stimulates induced Foxp3 expression among maternal CD4(+) T cells with fetal specificity. Although sustained maternal regulatory CD4(+) T cell (Treg) expansion is essential for maintaining fetal tolerance during pregnancy, the necessity for Foxp3(+) cells with fetal specificity remains undefined. In this study, we demonstrate that mitigating Treg differentiation among maternal CD4(+) T cells with a single surrogate fetal specificity elicits Ag-specific fetal loss. Using recombinant Listeria monocytogenes to prime stably differentiated Th1 CD4(+) T cells with fetal I-A(b):2W1S55-68 specificity refractory to pregnancy-induced Foxp3 expression, we show that Ag delivery by cytoplasmic L. monocytogenes causes selective loss of 2W1S(+) offspring through CD4 cell- and IFN-γ-dependent pathways. In contrast, CD4(+) T cells primed by L. monocytogenes restricted from the cell cytoplasm are markedly more plastic for induced Foxp3 expression, with normal pregnancy outcomes. Thus, committed Th1 polarization blocks pregnancy induced Treg differentiation among maternal CD4(+) T cells with fetal specificity and triggers Ag-specific fetal loss.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adoptive Transfer
  • Animals
  • Antigens / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / transplantation
  • Cell Differentiation / immunology
  • Female
  • Fetus / immunology*
  • Fetus / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / immunology*
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / immunology
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Listeria monocytogenes / immunology
  • Listeria monocytogenes / physiology
  • Listeriosis / immunology
  • Listeriosis / microbiology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Congenic
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Pregnancy
  • Signal Transduction / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Foxp3 protein, mouse
  • Interferon-gamma