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Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)

Although it is widely considered, in many cases, to involve two separable stages (poor placentation followed by oxidative stress/inflammation), the precise originating causes of preeclampsia (PE) remain elusive. We have previously brought together some of the considerable evidence that a (dormant) m...

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Autores principales: Kenny, Louise C., Kell, Douglas B.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758600/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29354635
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2017.00239
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author Kenny, Louise C.
Kell, Douglas B.
author_facet Kenny, Louise C.
Kell, Douglas B.
author_sort Kenny, Louise C.
collection PubMed
description Although it is widely considered, in many cases, to involve two separable stages (poor placentation followed by oxidative stress/inflammation), the precise originating causes of preeclampsia (PE) remain elusive. We have previously brought together some of the considerable evidence that a (dormant) microbial component is commonly a significant part of its etiology. However, apart from recognizing, consistent with this view, that the many inflammatory markers of PE are also increased in infection, we had little to say about immunity, whether innate or adaptive. In addition, we focused on the gut, oral and female urinary tract microbiomes as the main sources of the infection. We here marshall further evidence for an infectious component in PE, focusing on the immunological tolerance characteristic of pregnancy, and the well-established fact that increased exposure to the father’s semen assists this immunological tolerance. As well as these benefits, however, semen is not sterile, microbial tolerance mechanisms may exist, and we also review the evidence that semen may be responsible for inoculating the developing conceptus (and maybe the placenta) with microbes, not all of which are benign. It is suggested that when they are not, this may be a significant cause of PE. A variety of epidemiological and other evidence is entirely consistent with this, not least correlations between semen infection, infertility and PE. Our view also leads to a series of other, testable predictions. Overall, we argue for a significant paternal role in the development of PE through microbial infection of the mother via insemination.
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spelling pubmed-57586002018-01-19 Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†) Kenny, Louise C. Kell, Douglas B. Front Med (Lausanne) Medicine Although it is widely considered, in many cases, to involve two separable stages (poor placentation followed by oxidative stress/inflammation), the precise originating causes of preeclampsia (PE) remain elusive. We have previously brought together some of the considerable evidence that a (dormant) microbial component is commonly a significant part of its etiology. However, apart from recognizing, consistent with this view, that the many inflammatory markers of PE are also increased in infection, we had little to say about immunity, whether innate or adaptive. In addition, we focused on the gut, oral and female urinary tract microbiomes as the main sources of the infection. We here marshall further evidence for an infectious component in PE, focusing on the immunological tolerance characteristic of pregnancy, and the well-established fact that increased exposure to the father’s semen assists this immunological tolerance. As well as these benefits, however, semen is not sterile, microbial tolerance mechanisms may exist, and we also review the evidence that semen may be responsible for inoculating the developing conceptus (and maybe the placenta) with microbes, not all of which are benign. It is suggested that when they are not, this may be a significant cause of PE. A variety of epidemiological and other evidence is entirely consistent with this, not least correlations between semen infection, infertility and PE. Our view also leads to a series of other, testable predictions. Overall, we argue for a significant paternal role in the development of PE through microbial infection of the mother via insemination. Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-01-04 /pmc/articles/PMC5758600/ /pubmed/29354635 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2017.00239 Text en Copyright © 2018 Kenny and Kell. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Medicine
Kenny, Louise C.
Kell, Douglas B.
Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)
title Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)
title_full Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)
title_fullStr Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)
title_full_unstemmed Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)
title_short Immunological Tolerance, Pregnancy, and Preeclampsia: The Roles of Semen Microbes and the Father(†)
title_sort immunological tolerance, pregnancy, and preeclampsia: the roles of semen microbes and the father(†)
topic Medicine
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5758600/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29354635
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2017.00239
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