Understanding the role of the immune system in healthy pregnancies
Research institute:
Imperial College London
Project dates:
Grant Awarded: 15 May 2019
Funding awarded:
Grant Amount: £213,560.30
We know that the immune system is involved in some preterm births. But we currently can’t prevent this because we don’t know enough about the role of the immune system in healthy full-term pregnancies. Dr Emily Whettlock made discoveries in this project about how certain immune cells might assist placental implantation in early pregnancy. This could eventually lead to treatments to prevent preterm birth and other pregnancy complications – helping babies be born healthy and at the right time.
The challenge
We know that the immune system can sometimes contribute to labour starting too early. But finding ways to prevent this is hampered by our lack of knowledge about the immune system in healthy full-term pregnancies
We need to learn more about how the immune system works in normal healthy pregnancies, so that we can better understand what goes wrong in preterm birth – and find ways to stop babies from being born too soon.
The project
The immune system is made up of different types of cells, one of which is ‘Natural Killer’ or NK cells. In the blood, their role is to kill infected cells and stopping infections spreading. Scientists have also found NK cells in the womb, but while they don’t have a killing role, it’s not clear what role they do play during normal pregnancy.
Previous research has found that there are in fact three types of Uterine NK cells: UNK1, UNK2, and UNK3 cells. In this project, which ended in 2022, Dr Emily Whettlock set out to investigate how the amount and activity of these cells change during pregnancy. To do this, she studied womb samples donated by pregnant women during their first, second, and third trimester, as well as non-pregnant women.
Dr Whettlock found that of the three different types, the number of UNK1 and UNK2 cells in the womb peaks during the 1st trimester, and then drops away by the 3rd trimester. By the 3rd trimester, most UNK cells in the womb are UNK3.
She also found that, during the 1st trimester, all the cell types produce molecules which allow them to interact with the placenta, though UNK1 cells produce the most.
Dr Whettlock’s findings suggests that UNK1 cells may have an important role in early pregnancy, around the time when the placenta implants into the lining of the womb – though more research is needed to confirm this.
What difference will this project make?
Dr Emily Whettlock’s research has mapped out the role of Uterine NK cells (UNK cells) during pregnancy. Her research contributes to our knowledge of how the immune system is involved in placental implantation in healthy full-term pregnancies.
Problems with placental implantation are known to be a key cause of miscarriage – and scientists suspect some pre-term births may be also caused by incomplete placental implantation. Understanding how the immune system helps the placenta to implant correctly may eventually lead to treatments which could prevent preterm birth, and other pregnancy complications. This will help improve the chances that every baby is born healthy and at the right time.
This research is being continued by Dr Shreya Sheth, jointly funded by Borne and the Medical Research Council.
Project details
Project Leader
Dr Viki Male
Location
Imperial College London
PhD student
Dr Emily Whettlock
This project is jointly funded by UK Medical Research Council (MRC) and Borne.
