The Immunology of a successful pregnancy
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
Cineworld: The O2, London, SE10 0DX, UK
This event will challenge scientists and clinicians interested in the field of reproductive immunology to evaluate many of the ‘classical concepts’ associated with pregnancy immunology. This event aims to define new approaches to allow a better understanding of immunity during pregnancy that will benefit mothers and foetuses in different clinical scenarios.
This event has CPD accreditation and is part of the 2013 Pregnancy Summit- www.PregnancySummit2013.com
Meeting Chair: Dr Rupsha Fraser, Reproductive and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group, Division of Biomedical Sciences St George’s, University of London, UK
Who Should Attend
Biotech and Pharma Industry Managers: CEOs, Chief Scientists, Group Heads, Senior and Junior Scientists, Research working in the field of immunology and pregnancy
Academic and Research Institutes: Group and Lab Heads, Postdoctoral Scientists and Research Students working in the field of immunology and pregnancy
Clinicians: Anyone working in the field of pregnancy and diagnosing pregnancy-related illnesses and pregnancy outcome
The Deadline for abstract submissions has now passed. Abstracts for poster presentation only can be submitted up to two weeks before the event. You can download the instructions for authors at
www.euroscicon.com/AbstractsForOralAndPosterPresentation.pdf
Talk times include 5 – 10 minutes for questions
9:00 – 9:45 Registration
9:45 – 10:00 Introduction by the Chair: Dr Rupsha Fraser, Reproductive and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group, Division of Biomedical Sciences St George’s, University of London, UK
10:00 – 10:30 IL-1 family members in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia
Dr Jen Southcombe, University of Oxford, UK
Maternal immunity is modified in pregnancy by a multitude of factors from the placenta that encourage tolerance to the fetus. In pre-eclampsia these modifications are incomplete, and excessive maternal systemic inflammation develops which contributes to the maternal symptoms of proteinuria and hypertension. Interleukins are key regulators of immunity, and increased levels of IL-1alpha/beta/RA are well documented in pre-eclampsia. Eight new members of the IL-1 family have been recently described, with varying roles in inflammation. We have characterised placenta expression and secretion of these factors, and have identified differences in circulating levels between non-pregnant, normal pregnant and pre-eclamptic women.
10:30 – 11:00 The Role of Decidual Natural Killer Cells and Macrophages in Early Pregnancy
Dr Rupsha Fraser, Reproductive and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group, Division of Biomedical Sciences St George’s, University of London, UK
A successful pregnancy is dependent on efficient placentation and remodelling of maternal uterine vessels (spiral arteries) to allow sufficient oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the developing fetus. Decidual natural killer (dNK) cells and macrophages (dMϕs) accumulate around spiral arteries in early pregnancy and are present during uterine spiral artery remodelling. We have modelled the cellular interactions at the maternal-fetal interface., providing the first demonstration of a functional role for dNK cells in influencing vascular cells, and a potential mechanism contributing to impaired vessel remodelling in pregnancies with a higher uterine artery resistance is presented. We also present the phenotypes of dMϕs that may be present during these events, their roles in the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as the effects of dNK-derived factors on dMϕ polarization, and spiral artery remodelling.
11:00 – 11:30 Speakers’ photo then mid-morning break and poster exhibition and trade show
11:30 – 12:00 Maternal immunity and the pathogenesis of Chlamydia abortus: peripheral immunity vs placenta.
Mr Sean Wattegedera, Research Scientist, Moredun Research Institute, UK
The health and welfare of ruminants is key to providing safe and sustainable food for human consumption.Numerous pathogens cause reproductive loses in most sheep rearing countries worldwide and Chlamydia abortusis the most common cause of diagnosed ovine abortion in the UK. Animals can be infected prior to pregnancy andpathogenesis of disease appears to be intimately linked with the progression of pregnancy. To improve on ourcontrol measures, it is important to better understand the maternal and fetal immune responses during pregnancy.I will present data from aspects of our research covering these areas.
12:00 – 12:30 Oral Presentations:
12:00 – 12:15 Oocyte Donation Pregnancies are Associated with a Higher Incidence of HLA AlloantibodiesLisa E.E.L.O. Lashley, Marie-Louise P. van der Hoorn, Geert Haasnoot, Dave Roelenand Frans H.J. Claas
Leiden, The Netherlands
12:15 – 12:30 Maternal NK cells regulate fetal growth and placental efficiency in the mouse.
Selma Boulenouar, Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, Hong Wa Yung, Louise Gaynor, Steve Charnock-Jones, AbbyFowden, Graham Burton and Francesco Colucci
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cambridge, UK
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch, poster exhibition and trade show
13:30 – 14:00 Question and Answer Session
14:00 – 14:30 Vaccination during pregnancy: which, who, why when?
Professor Dilly OC Anumba, MBBS FWACS FRCOG MD LL.M (Medical Law), Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Honorary Consultant Obstetrician and Fetomaternal Medicine Subspecialist, The University of Sheffield, UK
This talk will summarise the immunological basis of vaccinations during pregnancy, highlighting routine and indicated vaccines, and the rationale for their administration. The evidence base for the recommenedd vaccines during pregnancy in the UK will be outlined and areas of uncertainty discussed including an outline of contraindicated vaccines.
14: 30 – 15:00 Afternoon Tea, last poster session and trade show
15:00 – 15:30 Anti-inflammatories as a strategy for the prevention of inflammation induced preterm labour
Dr Lynne Sykes, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow, Imperial College London, UK
Successful pregnancy is dependent on a carefully balanced modification of the maternal immune response so as to tolerate the semi-allogeneic fetus whilst maintaining protection from harmful pathogens. During term labour, a physiological activation of the immune system occurs which leads to uterine contractility, fetal membrane rupture and cervical remodelling. However, premature activation of the immune response, often in association with infection, is the most common identifiable cause of preterm labour. Inflammation is also associated with adverse neonatal outcomes, independent of prematurity. This talk will explore the role of inflammation in term and preterm labour, and the potential for anti-inflammatories in the prevention of inflammation/infection induced preterm labour.
15:30 – 16:00 The immonumodulating effect of seminal fluid on maternal T cells
Tess Meuleman M.D, PhD, Leiden University of Medical Centre, The Netherlands
Seminal fluid may play a role in priming the maternal immune system before implantation and therefore helping tocreate a tolerogeneic environment at the implantation site leading to normal pregnancy. To investigate theinfluence of seminal fluid on maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells we performed mixed lymphocytecultures. Seminal fluid is capable of inducing profliferation of T cells and it seems these cells have a moreregulatory phenotype. Failure of this immunoregulatory function or less exposure to semen may be the underlyingcause in abnormal implantation and leading to complicated pregnancies.
16:00 - 16:30 The placenta behaves as a parasitic endocrine organ
Professor Philip Lowry, Emeritus Professor, University of Reading, United KingdomThe poorly implanted placenta secretes neurokinin B to correct the associated ischemia, but high concentrations then stimulate all three neurokinin receptors in the mother’s circulation, probably causing many of the symptoms ofpreeclampsia. Subsequently it has been found that the placenta post-translationally modifies its neurokinin B ̶ along with pro-corticotropin releasing factor, pro-activin, pro-follistatin and pro-hemokinin ̶ with a moiety containingphosphocholine, a group originally found on certain secreted parasitic proteins that endowed them withimmune-inhibiting properties. Thus the placenta may be utilising the same survival mechanism as some parasites,attenuating immune surveillance by the mother, and thus avoiding rejection.
16:30 - 17:00 Chairman’s Summary and Close of Meeting
About the Chair
Rupsha Fraser’s first degree was in Biotechnology at the University of Edinburgh. She subsequently became interested in reproductive biology when doing a Masters at the University of Leeds, where her research was looking into the immunogenetics of pre-eclampsia. She went on to carry out a PhD at St George’s, University of London, investigating the role of decidual natural killer cells in pregnancy, comparing pregnancies that have been defined as normal healthy pregnancies or those that are at high risk of pre-eclampsia development. Since completing her doctoral studies, Rupsha has been working on a postdoctoral project investigating decidual macrophages in early human pregnancy.
About the Speakers
Jen Southcombe has a BSc in Biochemistry from Leeds University, and a doctorate in Human Immunology from Oxford University. She has been a post-doctoral research scientist in the Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Oxford University, for the past five years. Her work focuses on placental derived factors that modulate the maternal immune system in pregnancy, with specific focus on factors that are dysregulated in women with complicated pregnancies. Her current work to investigate IL-33 and ST2 throughout pregnancy is funded by the Wellbeing of Women.
Sean Wattegedera joined Moredun Research Institute in 1999 following an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences (Hons) at Lancaster University. In 2004, Sean became a Research Scientist and has an interest in cytokine biology and host immunity to Chlamydia spp.. His research focus is primarily involved in the development and application of immunological reagents to investigate disease pathogenesis in both sheep and cattle. He is involved in Scottish Government-funded research to identify host-pathogen interactions and the immunological correlates for the zoonotic pathogen Chlamydia abortus in sheep. In 2012, he became a Researcher Co-investigator on the BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award grant ‘The route to the identification of immune correlates of protection in ruminants’ in conjunction with the Industrial Partner AbD Serotec (A Bio-Rad Company).
Dilly Anumba is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology UoS, and Honorary Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Holding subspecialist accreditation in Maternal and Fetal Medicine Dilly runs clinics in Prenatal Fetal Imaging, Diagnosis and Therapy, as well as High Risk Pregnancy Care and Prematurity. He is Lead Obstetrician for the care of Infections during Pregnancy and leads research programmes that include the investigation of new techniques to predict premature birth, the contribution of vaginal microbes to inflammation-induced premature birth, and the impact of social exclusion on reproductive outcomes. He serves on the NICE Medical Technologies Advisory Committee (MTAC) and holds several professional committee and board appointments nationally and internationally.
Lynne Sykes qualified from St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London Medical School in 2003, and is a London trainee in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Between 2008 and 2011 she undertook a Wellbeing of Women research training fellowship during which she undertook a PhD in preterm labour under the supervision of Professor Phillip Bennett and Mr TG Teoh at Queen Charlotte’s Hospital. She is currently an Academic Clinical Fellow at Imperial College London, researching the potential for anti-inflammatories for the prevention of preterm labour.
Tess Meuleman is working as a prenatal docter at the obstetrics and gynaecology department at the LUMC combining this with her PhD. Next year she will start with her residency for gyneacologist.
In 1973, Phil Lowry moved to St Bartholomew’s Hospital to head the Pituitary Hormone Laboratory and later the Protein Hormone Unit. In 1986 he took the chair of Biochemistry & Physiology at the University of Reading and in 1988 was appointed Head of Animal and Microbial Sciences. After a term as Dean of Science, he spent a short sabbatical at the Salk Institute. He served on an MRC Board and was a Council member of The Society for Endocrinology and Trustee of the British Society of Neuroendocrinology. He has published over 200 papers (15 in Nature) attracting 13,000+ citations.
Post expires at 7:47am on Wednesday October 16th, 2013
Tags: Chlamydia, CRF, cytokines, decidual macrophages, decidual natural killer cell, Host-pathogen interactions, IL-1 superfamily, immunomodulation, implantation, inflammation, Melanotropin., mmune activation, Neurokinin B, NF-kB, Phosphocholine, placenta, pre-eclampsia, Pregnancy, preterm labour, Seminal fluid, soluble ST2, spiral artery remodelling, Tregs
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