Research: The fundamental role of the immune system is to protect from foreign antigens to prevent disease, yet during pregnancy foreign fetal antigens must not be targeted. The maternal fetal interface (MFI) is where the maternal decidua and fetal placenta interchange survival nutrients, while also being a critical barrier for protection from pathogens. CD8 T cells are important for protection against viral infections but also have the potential to react to fetal antigen. Due to the opposing consequences of the functionality of CD8 T cells, it is important to understand how CD8 T cells are tolerized to fetal antigen, while continuing to protect the fetus from pathogens. Many unanswered questions about the role and function of CD8 T cells at the MFI remain. Previous work from the Schuldt Lab has revealed that natural microbial exposure (NME) in laboratory mice is sufficient to ‘mature’ the immune system to better recapitulate the dynamics of the immune system seen in human pregnancy. The goal of my thesis research is to address how the microbial experience of NME maternal mice influences CD8 T cell biology at the MFI. Experiments using flow cytometry, transcriptomics, in vivo congenic labeling techniques and in vitro assays will be performed to determine the phenotypes and functions of CD8 T cells at the MFI in SPF and NME mice. Further analysis on CD8 T cells at the MFI will be conducted to assess their antigen specificity and memory status. Experiments performed for my thesis will provide impactful information about how CD8 T cells at the MFI are able to provide protective functions against harmful pathogens while maintaining tolerance to fetal antigen.
