Intercellular wireless communication network between mother and fetus in rat pregnancy-a study on directed and weighted network

BACKGROUND: The maternal body forms a wireless communication system with the embryo through the blood circulation system. Obviously, direct sampling from early embryos is damaging. Therefore, we detected changes in the concentrations of 30 signaling molecules in serum from the pregnant rats at the 14 time points, then the intercellular wireless communication network was established, to explore the regularity of signal communication between mother and fetus. METHOD OF STUDY: We used liquid chip scanning technology to detect 30 signal molecules at 14 time points. Statistical analysis of the data yielded significant change signal molecules. According to the secretory cells and effector cells involved in signal molecules, the communication network of different stages were drawn by using Biograph software. RESULTS: The process could be divided into 4 periods including early, middle, late pregnancy, and postpartum. In early pregnancy, two immune transformations occur: (a) interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-13 (IL-13) increased at day 5, which promoted immunoglobin G (IgG) secretion, provided protection through the neonatal Fc receptor for IgG (FcγRn) crossing the placental barrier to reach the embryo, achieved T helper 1 (Th1) transformation into T helper 2 (Th2), reduced maternal innate and cellular immunity, and prevented fetal abortion; (b) the fetal heart was fully developed at day 7, with circulatory system established, which provided a platform for intercellular information exchange. The second transformation corresponded to the maternal immune system providing signaling molecules for the embryo to promote Th2 transformation into Th1, thus activating embryonic innate immune cells, and enabling antibody-mediated immune recognition, response and protection. Days 9–19 was a stable period. After 21 days of pregnancy, the maternal body prepared for delivery. The characteristic signaling molecules in the process were monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-10, IL-13, IL-1ɑ, interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), regulated upon activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), IL-2, IL-6, IL-12p70 and IL-18. CONCLUSION: Detection of concentration changes of the factors in maternal serum could provide a tool for monitoring, diagnosis, prediction and treatment of embryo differentiation, development and health.