This preclinical study investigated whether boosting maternal regulatory T cells — immune cells that help support tolerance during pregnancy — could reduce fetal loss in a miscarriage-prone mouse model. Researchers administered IL-2 complexed with an anti–IL-2 antibody to female mice around the time of conception and assessed immune-cell changes in the uterus and draining lymph nodes, as well as pregnancy outcomes.
The study found that treatment increased the pool of maternal regulatory T cells during implantation and mid-gestation. In abortion-prone pregnancies, fetal loss was reduced from 31 per cent to 10 per cent, although treated pregnancies also showed a small reduction in late-gestation fetal weight. Similar immune effects were seen in mice with healthy pregnancies.
The research was conducted using mouse models. Based on author affiliations, the study was led by researchers in Australia, with collaborators in the United States. The findings suggest that targeting IL-2 signalling may be a potential avenue for future research into immune-mediated pregnancy loss, but further studies, including human clinical trials, would be needed before any treatment implications could be drawn.
Authors: Kerrie L Foyle, Peck Y Chin, Carsten Merkwirth, Jasmine Wilson, Shanna L Hosking, Ella S Green, Mei Y Chong, Bihong Zhang, Lachlan M Moldenhauer, Greg D Ferguson, Gerald P Morris, James G Karras, Alison S Care, Sarah A Robertson
Publication date: 6 August 2024
Journal: The American Journal of Pathology, Volume 194, Issue 11, pages 2128–2149
Link to paper: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpath.2024.07.012