Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
Immunol Rev. 2024 May;323(1):288-302. doi: 10.1111/imr.13315. Epub 2024 Mar 6.
Maternal environmental exposures, particularly during gestation and lactation, significantly influence the immunological development and long-term immunity of offspring. Mammalian immune systems develop through crucial inputs from the environment, beginning in utero and continuing after birth. These critical developmental windows are essential for proper immune system development and, once closed, may not be reopened. This review focuses on the mechanisms by which maternal exposures, particularly to pathogens, diet, and microbiota, impact offspring immunity. Mechanisms driving maternal-offspring immune crosstalk include transfer of maternal antibodies, changes in the maternal microbiome and microbiota-derived metabolites, and transfer of immune cells and cytokines via the placenta and breastfeeding. We further discuss the role of transient maternal infections, which are common during pregnancy, in providing tissue-specific immune education to offspring. We propose a "maternal-driven immune education" hypothesis, which suggests that offspring can use maternal encounters that occur during a critical developmental window to develop optimal immune fitness against infection and inflammation.
母体环境暴露，特别是在妊娠和哺乳期，会显著影响后代的免疫发育和长期免疫力。哺乳动物的免疫系统通过环境的关键输入而发展，从子宫内开始，并在出生后继续。这些关键的发育窗口对于正常的免疫系统发育至关重要，一旦关闭，可能就无法再打开。本综述重点关注母体暴露，特别是病原体、饮食和微生物组，如何影响后代的免疫。驱动母婴免疫串扰的机制包括母体抗体的转移、母体微生物组和微生物衍生代谢物的变化，以及通过胎盘和母乳喂养转移免疫细胞和细胞因子。我们进一步讨论了妊娠期间常见的短暂性母体感染在为后代提供组织特异性免疫教育方面的作用。我们提出了一个“母体驱动的免疫教育”假说，即后代可以利用在关键发育窗口期间发生的母体接触，发展出针对感染和炎症的最佳免疫适应性。
