Abstract

BARRERA, David; AVILA, Euclides  and  DIAZ, Lorenza. Immunological role of progesterone in the maintenance of pregnancy. Rev. invest. clín. [online]. 2007, vol.59, n.2, pp. 139-145. ISSN 0034-8376.

Progesterone is an essential hormone for pregnancy maintenance. This hormone acts by binding to its intracellular receptor or by rapid non-genomic actions to regulate a wide variety of biological functions in the feto-placental unit. Progesterone regulates blastocyst implantation and placental development by inducing immunosupression through type Th2 cytokines secretion. This review summarizes current research about the role of progesterone as critical regulator of expression and secretion of cytokines by T-cell and other placental cells.

Keywords : Progesterone; Cytokines; NF-&B; Calcineurin; T-lymphocytes; Trophoblast.