Immune checkpoints are suppressed during pregnancy following influenza A virus infection.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infection is a major health risk during pregnancy. Although vaccination and antiviral agents are widely used and reduce IAV-induced symptoms, they are not sufficient to control IAV infections in pregnancy, especially during pandemics. Respiratory viruses like IAV exploit immune alterations that occur during pregnancy, including the upregulation of immune checkpoint proteins (ICPs) like programmed death ligand-1 (PDL1), programmed cell death receptor 1 (PD1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4).

Inflammatory and antiviral responses to influenza A virus infection are dysregulated in pregnant mice with allergic airway disease.

Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are increased during pregnancy especially with asthma as a comorbidity, leading to asthma exacerbations, secondary bacterial infections, intensive care unit admissions, and mortality. We aimed to define the processes involved in increased susceptibility and severity of IAV infections during pregnancy, especially with asthma. We sensitized mice to house dust mite (HDM), induced pregnancy, and challenged with HDM to induce allergic airway disease (AAD).

Investigating the Links between Lower Iron Status in Pregnancy and Respiratory Disease in Offspring Using Murine Models.

Maternal iron deficiency occurs in 40-50% of all pregnancies and is associated with an increased risk of respiratory disease and asthma in children. We used murine models to examine the effects of lower iron status during pregnancy on lung function, inflammation and structure, as well as its contribution to increased severity of asthma in the offspring. A low iron diet during pregnancy impairs lung function, increases airway inflammation, and alters lung structure in the absence and presence of experimental asthma.

Nasal epithelial cells to assess in vitro immune responses to respiratory virus infection in pregnant women with asthma.

Respiratory virus-induced asthma exacerbations occur frequently during pregnancy and are associated with adverse outcomes for mother and child. Primary nasal epithelial cells (pNECs) provide a useful method to study immune responses in pregnancy. pNECs were obtained by nasal brushings from pregnant and non-pregnant women with and without asthma.

Maternal Smoke Exposure Impairs the Long-Term Fertility of Female Offspring in a Murine Model.

The theory of fetal origins of adult disease was first proposed in 1989, and in the decades since, a wide range of other diseases from obesity to asthma have been found to originate in early development. Because mammalian oocyte development begins in fetal life it has been suggested that environmental and lifestyle factors of the mother could directly impact the fertility of subsequent generations. Cigarette smoke is a known ovotoxicant in active smokers, yet disturbingly 13% of Australian and 12% of US women continue to smoke throughout pregnancy.

Maternal complications and the management of asthma in pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a unique state requiring alterations in maternal physiology to accommodate the growing fetus. Whilst the maternal immune system is normally well adept at performing this task, the presence of immune disorders, such as asthma, often lead to pregnancy-related complications affecting both mother and baby. Australia has a high prevalence of asthma; with approximately 12% of pregnant women reported to have current asthma.

CD8 T cells and dendritic cells: key players in the attenuated maternal immune response to influenza infection.

Pregnancy provides a unique challenge for maternal immunity, requiring the ability to tolerate the presence of a semi-allogeneic foetus, and yet still being capable of inducing an immune response against invading pathogens. To achieve this, numerous changes must occur in the activity and function of maternal immune cells throughout the course of pregnancy. Respiratory viruses take advantage of these changes, altering the sensitive balance of maternal immunity, leaving the mother with increased susceptibility to viral infections and increased disease severity.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells and CD8 T cells from pregnant women show altered phenotype and function following H1N1/09 infection.

Background: Pregnant women are a high-risk group during influenza pandemics. In this study we determined whether plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and CD8 T cells from pregnant women display altered activity following in vitro infection with 2009 pandemic swine influenza (H1N1/09).

Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from pregnant (n = 26) and nonpregnant (n = 28) women.

Alterations in inflammatory, antiviral and regulatory cytokine responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from pregnant women with asthma.

Background & Objective: Severe asthma exacerbations during pregnancy are a common complication leading to poor health outcomes for both the mother and the baby. Asthma exacerbations are caused most frequently by respiratory viruses. A balance between antiviral and inflammatory immune responses is critical during pregnancy; the balance may be altered by asthma and respiratory virus infection.