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The Role of TGF-β during Pregnancy and Pregnancy Complications

Baohong Wen1, Huixin Liao1, Weilin Lin1

  • 1Basic Medical Experiment Teaching Center, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|December 9, 2023
PubMed

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), a multifunctional cytokine, is one of the most important inflammatory cytokines closely related to pregnancy. It plays significant roles in hormone secretion, placental development, and embryonic growth during pregnancy. TGF-β is implicated in embryo implantation and inhibits the invasion of extraepithelial trophoblast cells. It also moderates the mother-fetus interaction by adjusting the secretion pattern of immunomodulatory factors in the placenta, consequently influencing the mother's immune cells. The TGF-β family regulates the development of the nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems by regulating gene expression. Furthermore, TGF-β has been associated with various pregnancy complications. An increase in TGF-β levels can induce the occurrences of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus, while a decrease can lead to recurrent miscarriage due to the interference of the immune tolerance environment. This review focuses on the role of TGF-β in embryo implantation and development, providing new insights for the clinical prevention and treatment of pregnancy complications.

Keywords:
TGF-βimmunologypregnancy

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