“Fetal Cell Microchimerism and Female Autoimmune Diseases”

Abstract

Microchimerism is the presence of a small number of non-host stem cells originate from another individual. The most common source of microchimerism is pregnancy. During pregnancy, bidirectional trafficking of hematopoietic cells occurs through the placenta and these microchimeric cells persist for decades after childbirth. A possible role of microchimerism in the pathogenesis of some but not all autoimmune diseases has been suggested by recent studies. Contradictory reports exist regarding HLA allelic associations with persistent T lymphocyte microchimerism. Although much of the focus of past studies has been on microchimerism in the effector arm of the immune system, increasing evidence suggests that microchimeric cells may differentiate into many lineages in different tissues raising additional possible roles for these cells. The possibility of microchimerism in many organs should induce an exploration of how persistent mixtures of cells of different genetic backgrounds throughout the body may influence diverse physiologic processes during life