Immunometabolic adaptation in monocytes underpins functional changes during pregnancy

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Metabolic studies
• Pregnancy research

Background:

• Metabolic heterogeneity influences immune cell function.
• Physiological metabolic changes during pregnancy impact maternal and fetal fuel needs.
• These immune changes may affect pathogen responses and autoimmune disease activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate metabolic reprogramming in monocytes during pregnancy.
• To understand how these changes affect monocyte function and immune responses.
• To explore potential therapeutic targets for pregnancy-related conditions and immune diseases.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of peripheral blood monocytes from pregnant women at term.
• Assessment of mitochondrial mass, respiration, and cardiolipin content.
• Measurement of cytokine production in response to muramyl dipeptide (MDP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Main Results:

• Monocytes exhibited a shift from M2-like to M1-like properties.
• Reductions in mitochondrial mass, maximal respiration, and cardiolipin were observed.
• Cytokine production stimulated by MDP was decreased, while LPS-stimulated production remained unchanged.
• Glycolysis was not significantly affected.

Conclusions:

• Monocytes in late gestation show down-regulated, mitochondrially-centered metabolic capabilities.
• This demonstrates natural plasticity in monocyte phenotype and function during pregnancy.
• Findings may reveal targets for improving pregnancy outcomes and treating metabolic/immune diseases.