Meng Xinhang, Luo Yujie, Cui Liyuan, Wang Songcun
Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200011, China.
Int J Biol Sci. 2025 Jan 1;21(2):789-801. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.106115. eCollection 2025.
As the first T cell immunoglobulin mucin (Tim) family member to be identified, Tim-3 is a powerful immune checkpoint that functions in immunoregulation and induction of tolerance. Conventionally, Tim-3 is considered to play a role in adaptive immunity, especially in helper T cell-mediated immune responses. As researches progress, Tim-3 has been detected in a wider range of cell types, modulating cell function through ligand-receptor interactions and other pathways. Strikingly, Tim-3 plays a pivotal role in maternal-fetal tolerance by regulating immune cell functions and orchestrating the maternal-fetal cross-talk. In this review, we elaborate on the involvement of Tim-3 in immunology, with a focus on its participation in maternal-fetal tolerance to provide new insights into immunoregulation during pregnancy. Our work will be helpful in further understanding the pathogenesis of pregnancy-related diseases and will inspire new strategies for their diagnosis and treatment.
作为首个被鉴定出的T细胞免疫球蛋白黏蛋白（Tim）家族成员，Tim-3是一种强大的免疫检查点，在免疫调节和诱导免疫耐受中发挥作用。传统上，Tim-3被认为在适应性免疫中发挥作用，尤其是在辅助性T细胞介导的免疫反应中。随着研究的进展，Tim-3已在更广泛的细胞类型中被检测到，通过配体-受体相互作用和其他途径调节细胞功能。引人注目的是，Tim-3通过调节免疫细胞功能和协调母胎对话，在母胎耐受中发挥关键作用。在本综述中，我们阐述了Tim-3在免疫学中的参与情况，重点关注其在母胎耐受中的作用，为孕期免疫调节提供新的见解。我们的工作将有助于进一步了解妊娠相关疾病的发病机制，并为其诊断和治疗激发新的策略。
