Female Unexplained Infertility: A Disease with Imbalanced Adaptive Immunity

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Immunology
• Female Infertility Etiology
• Adaptive Immune System in Pregnancy

Background:

• Unexplained infertility (UI) affects 10-17% of infertile women, with no identifiable cause.
• Successful pregnancy relies on a balanced decidual immune system, including T helper cells and autoantibodies.
• Dysregulation of these immune components can lead to pregnancy failure and infertility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the immunological factors contributing to unexplained infertility.
• To elucidate the role of cellular and molecular components in UI etiology.
• To highlight the importance of understanding immune system contributions to UI.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of immunological factors in unexplained infertility.
• Analysis of cellular components (T cells) and molecular factors (autoantibodies, cytokines).
• Discussion of transcription factors involved in immune regulation during pregnancy.

Main Results:

• Altered proportions of T helper (Th) 1, Th2, Th17, T follicular helper, CD8+ CD28- T, and regulatory T cells are implicated in UI.
• Specific autoantibodies (antiphospholipid, antithyroid, antiovarian) and altered cytokine/chemokine levels are associated with pregnancy failure.
• Immune dysregulation is a significant factor in the etiology of unexplained infertility.

Conclusions:

• Immunological dysregulation is a key factor in the pathogenesis of unexplained infertility.
• Understanding the adaptive immune system's role is crucial for diagnosing and treating UI.
• Further research into immune components may reveal novel therapeutic targets for UI.