Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Isolation of Leukocytes from the Human Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: May 21, 2015
Tryptophan catabolism prevents maternal T cells from activating lethal anti-fetal immune responses
1Department of Medicine, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Medical College of Georgia, 1120 15th Street, CA 2006, Augusta, GA 30912-2000, USA. mellor@immag.mcg.edu
Abstract:
The murine conceptus is protected from maternal immunity by cells expressing indoleamine dioxygenase (IDO), which catabolizes tryptophan. Induction of lethal maternal anti-fetal immunity requires effective pharmacologic inhibition of IDO enzyme activity and the presence of maternal T cells, but not B cells and also depends on the degree of maternal-fetal tissue incompatibility. Based on these findings, we propose a model to explain the role of IDO in suppressing maternal immunity and the mechanism of fetal allograft rejection, when IDO activity is inhibited during gestation. This model incorporates observations that fetal allograft rejection is T cell dependent, antibody-independent and is accompanied by a novel type of inflammation involving extensive complement deposition at the maternal-fetal interface, when IDO activity is blocked during murine pregnancy.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Cell-mediated Immune Responses
Transcytosis of IgG
IgG molecules from a mother undergo transcytosis starting around 13 weeks of gestation. The amount of IgG transferred and entering the fetal blood circulation increases with...
Teratogenicity
Cytotoxic T Cells-mediated Immune Response
Immunological surveillance is the ability of immune cells to monitor and eliminate infected cells with intracellular pathogens, neoplastically transformed cells, and cells with non-self antigens. Cytotoxic T cells and NK...
Development of Immunocompetence
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Repressible Operon: trp Operon

