Effector and Activated T Cells Induce Preterm Labor and Birth That Is Prevented by Treatment with Progesterone.

ABSTRACT: Preterm labor commonly precedes preterm birth, the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most research has focused on establishing a causal link between innate immune activation and pathological inflammation leading to preterm labor and birth. However, the role of maternal effector/activated T cells in the pathogenesis of preterm labor/birth is poorly understood. In this study, we first demonstrated that effector memory and activated maternal T cells expressing granzyme B and perforin are enriched at the maternal-fetal interface (decidua) of women with spontaneous preterm labor. Next, using a murine model, we reported that prior to inducing preterm birth, in vivo T cell activation caused maternal hypothermia, bradycardia, systemic inflammation, cervical dilation, in

SUBMITTER: Arenas-Hernandez M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6570421 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature