TY - JOUR
T1 - The complement system in the pathophysiology of pregnancy
AU - Girardi, Guillermina
AU - Bulla, Roberta
AU - Salmon, Jane E.
AU - Tedesco, Francesco
PY - 2006/1
Y1 - 2006/1
N2 - A fully active complement system deriving from the maternal circulation as well as from local production by various cell source is present in the placenta. The role of this system at the placental level, as in any other tissue in the body, is to protect both the fetus and the mother against infectious and other toxic agents. As fetal tissues are semi-allogeneic and alloantibodies commonly develop in the mother, the placenta is potentially subject to complement-mediated immune attack at the feto-maternal interface with the potential risk of fetal loss. Uncontrolled complement activation is prevented in successful pregnancy by the three regulatory proteins DAF, MCP and CD59 positioned on the surface of trophoblasts. The critical role played by these complement regulators is supported by the embryonic lethality observed in mice deficient in the complement regulator Crry. Excessive complement activation in the placenta places the fetus at risk for growth restriction or death. The role played by the complement system in the fetal damage induced by anti-phospholipid antibodies in a mouse model will be examined.
AB - A fully active complement system deriving from the maternal circulation as well as from local production by various cell source is present in the placenta. The role of this system at the placental level, as in any other tissue in the body, is to protect both the fetus and the mother against infectious and other toxic agents. As fetal tissues are semi-allogeneic and alloantibodies commonly develop in the mother, the placenta is potentially subject to complement-mediated immune attack at the feto-maternal interface with the potential risk of fetal loss. Uncontrolled complement activation is prevented in successful pregnancy by the three regulatory proteins DAF, MCP and CD59 positioned on the surface of trophoblasts. The critical role played by these complement regulators is supported by the embryonic lethality observed in mice deficient in the complement regulator Crry. Excessive complement activation in the placenta places the fetus at risk for growth restriction or death. The role played by the complement system in the fetal damage induced by anti-phospholipid antibodies in a mouse model will be examined.
KW - Antiphospholipid antibodies
KW - Complement
KW - Complement regulators
KW - Placenta
KW - Trophoblasts
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U2 - 10.1016/j.molimm.2005.06.017
DO - 10.1016/j.molimm.2005.06.017
M3 - Article
C2 - 16023727
AN - SCOPUS:22544486255
VL - 43
SP - 68
EP - 77
JO - Molecular Immunology
JF - Molecular Immunology
SN - 0161-5890
IS - 1-2
ER -