Doctoral Dissertation Research: Reproductive-immune trade-offs in preterm birth: a life history perspective

博士论文研究：早产的生殖免疫权衡：生活史视角

• 批准号: 1540294
• 负责人: L. Christie Rockwell
• 金额: $ 3.12万
• 依托单位: Temple University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-15 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1540294&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Reproductive; immune

Evolutionary tradeoffs between mother and offspring, and between reproduction and immune function, are likely to have shaped human life history. This study will investigate such tradeoffs in the context of preterm birth, which is frequently associated with mild infection and/or inflammation, suggesting that physiological compromises between reproduction and the immune system may influence gestation length. The investigators will evaluate placental characteristics, including the placental microbiome, in the context of maternal immune challenge and preterm birth. Project findings may extend current limited knowledge of the role of microbiomes in human physiology and health, specifically at the placental interface. The U.S. ranks alongside South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa in rates of preterm birth, with extreme disparities based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. By considering the evolutionary roots of why immune activation might compromise reproduction, this project will bring a new perspective to a persistent public health problem, and has the potential to inform community health efforts and public health policy. Other broader impacts include undergraduate training and the fostering of interdisciplinary research collaborations.This study of U.S. women will integrate maternal condition, placental function, the placental microbiome, and gestation length within an evolutionary life history framework based on reproductive-immune trade-offs. The investigators will test two hypotheses: 1) that the placental phenotype characterized by reduced size and efficiency, and a distinct microbiome, will be associated with preterm birth, and 2) that this association will depend on maternal systemic inflammation. The results of this research will shed light on the effects of immune activation during pregnancy, and will advance evolutionary perspectives on placental microbiome function and variation, and its role in preterm birth.

母亲和后代之间的进化权衡，以及生殖和免疫功能之间的进化权衡，很可能塑造了人类的生活史。这项研究将在早产的背景下调查这种权衡，早产通常与轻度感染和/或炎症有关，这表明生殖和免疫系统之间的生理妥协可能会影响妊娠期。研究人员将在母体免疫激发和早产的背景下评估胎盘特征，包括胎盘微生物组。项目发现可能会扩展目前对微生物组在人体生理和健康中作用的有限知识，特别是在胎盘界面。美国的早产率与南亚和撒哈拉以南非洲地区相当，但在种族、民族和社会经济地位方面存在极大的差异。通过考虑为什么免疫激活可能损害生殖的进化根源，该项目将为持续的公共卫生问题带来新的视角，并有可能为社区卫生工作和公共卫生政策提供信息。其他更广泛的影响包括本科生培训和促进跨学科研究合作。这项对美国妇女的研究将在基于生殖免疫权衡的进化生命史框架内整合孕产妇状况，胎盘功能，胎盘微生物组和妊娠期长度。研究人员将测试两个假设：1）以尺寸和效率降低为特征的胎盘表型以及独特的微生物组将与早产相关，以及2）这种关联将取决于母体全身炎症。这项研究的结果将揭示怀孕期间免疫激活的影响，并将推进对胎盘微生物组功能和变异及其在早产中的作用的进化观点。