Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council(BBSRC) have established in mice the mechanism that detects and responds to thepresence of bacteria in the womb - a discovery that opens up the possibility ofnew preventative treatments for diseases like pelvic inflammatory disease andChlamydia.
The work, led by Professor Martin Sheldon from Swansea University's School ofMedicine, is published today (22 September) in PLoS ONE.
Professor Sheldon said: "Infections of the womb are common and can lead toinfertility and early labour, but we don't have any vaccines or other ways ofpreventing these problems.
"The womb is a unique environment and responds to infection in different ways toother parts of the body. What we've established is that in mice the womb relieson cells not normally involved in immunity to detect and respond to bacteria.This is crucial information as it will hopefully provide us with new targets forpreventing disease."
Unlike in other parts of the body which are exposed to infection the normalimmune system is less well developed in the womb. This is thought to be linkedto the fact that, unlike the mouth or the gut for example which have residentpopulations of mostly benign bacteria, the womb is usually sterile.
Because it lacks developed immune tissues, the womb relies on a simpler, moregeneral form of immunity called the innate system. In most tissues, an innateresponse is quickly followed by the more sophisticated adaptive response whichallows people to develop long lasting and specific immunity and is normally thetarget for vaccination. Because the adaptive system is underdeveloped in thewomb, scientists must look for alternative targets to prevent infection.
The Swansea team found that the cells which line the walls of the womb -epithelial and stromal cells - have a key role in detecting infection andgenerating an innate immune response. The study established that a proteinpresent on the outside of these cells was responsible for detecting the presenceof bacterial cells.
Professor Sheldon continued: "Infections of the womb are sometimes overlooked asa serious health problem because they are seen as a bit embarrassing, but theycan cause women considerable physical and emotional suffering and in the USalone, around 1 million women seek treatment for such infections each year.
"The womb presents particular challenges for drug development as it is so uniqueso research into its basic biology is a crucial first step on the road to newtreatments."
Professor Sheldon's team has now attracted industrial collaborators in the hopeof drawing on this research to develop new strategies to prevent infection.
Professor Douglas Kell, BBSRC Chief Executive said: "We can only find therapiesand treatments for devastating diseases if we can understand the basicbiological mechanisms that underpin the normal working of the body. BBSRCsupport for research such as this allows scientists to explore basic biology andthen work with industrial partners to take it forward to develop applicationsfor us in the clinic."
Source: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council