Horne Andrew W, Stock Sarah J, King Anne E
The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences, Centre for Reproductive Biology, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
Reproduction. 2008 Jun;135(6):739-49. doi: 10.1530/REP-07-0564.
Sexually transmitted infections, and their associated sequelae, such as tubal infertility, ectopic pregnancy and preterm labour, are a major worldwide health problem. Chlamydia trachomatis infection is thought to be the leading global cause of tubal infertility and tubal ectopic pregnancy. Preterm birth occurs in around 10% of all deliveries, and nearly 30% of preterm deliveries are associated with intrauterine infection. The mucosal innate immune system of the female reproductive tract has evolved to eliminate such sexually transmitted pathogens whilst maintaining its ability to accommodate specialized physiological functions that include menstruation, fertilization, implantation, pregnancy and parturition. The aim of this review was to describe the role and distribution of key mediators of the innate immune system, the natural antimicrobial peptides (secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, elafin and the defensins) and the pattern recognition toll-like receptors in the normal female reproductive tract and in the context of these pathological processes.
性传播感染及其相关后遗症，如输卵管性不孕、异位妊娠和早产，是全球主要的健康问题。沙眼衣原体感染被认为是全球输卵管性不孕和输卵管异位妊娠的主要原因。早产约占所有分娩的10%，近30%的早产与宫内感染有关。女性生殖道的黏膜固有免疫系统已经进化，以消除此类性传播病原体，同时保持其适应包括月经、受精、着床、妊娠和分娩在内的特殊生理功能的能力。本综述的目的是描述固有免疫系统的关键介质、天然抗菌肽（分泌型白细胞蛋白酶抑制剂、弹性蛋白酶和防御素）以及模式识别Toll样受体在正常女性生殖道以及这些病理过程中的作用和分布。
