Immune landscape of human placental villi using single-cell analysis

Development. 2022 Apr 15;149(8):dev200013. doi: 10.1242/dev.200013. Epub 2022 Feb 17.

Abstract

Maintenance of a healthy pregnancy is reliant on a successful balance between the fetal and maternal immune systems. Although the maternal mechanisms responsible have been well studied, those used by the fetal immune system remain poorly understood. Using suspension mass cytometry and various imaging modalities, we report a complex immune system within the mid-gestation (17-23 weeks) human placental villi (PV). Consistent with recent reports in other fetal organs, T cells with memory phenotypes, although rare in abundance, were detected within the PV tissue and vasculature. Moreover, we determined that T cells isolated from PV samples may be more proliferative after T cell receptor stimulation than adult T cells at baseline. Collectively, we identified multiple subtypes of fetal immune cells within the PV and specifically highlight the enhanced proliferative capacity of fetal PV T cells.

Keywords: Immune cells; Placenta; Pregnancy; T cells.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / metabolism
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • B-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • B-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • B7-H1 Antigen / genetics
  • B7-H1 Antigen / metabolism
  • Chorionic Villi / immunology*
  • Chorionic Villi / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fetus / immunology
  • Fetus / metabolism
  • Flow Cytometry
  • HLA-DR Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-DR Antigens / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism
  • Leukocyte Common Antigens / metabolism
  • Lymphocyte Activation
  • Macrophages / cytology
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Memory T Cells / cytology
  • Memory T Cells / immunology
  • Memory T Cells / metabolism
  • Placenta / cytology
  • Placenta / immunology*
  • Placenta / metabolism
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Second
  • Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism
  • Receptors, Chemokine / genetics
  • Receptors, Chemokine / metabolism
  • Single-Cell Analysis / methods
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • CD163 antigen
  • HLA-DR Antigens
  • Receptors, Cell Surface
  • Receptors, Chemokine
  • Leukocyte Common Antigens
  • PTPRC protein, human