Published online May 10, 2015. doi: 10.5317/wjog.v4.i2.40
Peer-review started: October 27, 2014
First decision: December 12, 2014
Revised: January 14, 2015
Accepted: January 30, 2015
Article in press: February 2, 2015
Published online: May 10, 2015
Processing time: 185 Days and 8.2 Hours
Maternal immune tolerance of the fetus is indispensable for a healthy pregnancy. Currently, the study of the immune microenvironment of the maternal-fetal interface has been a heated topic in reproductive immunology research. More and more studies show that the immune imbalance in the maternal-fetal interface plays a very important role in the incidence of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). However, the precise etiology and mechanism of immune imbalance in the occurrence of ICP is still unknown. In order to clarify the potential immunologic mechanisms of ICP, this review summarizes the recent studies of the decidual immunology microenvironment and the potential immunologic mechanisms related to the development of ICP.
Core tip: In this paper, we reviewed the recent publications regarding the role of immunological interactions at the maternal-fetal interface on the occurrence of intrahepatic cholestasis. The literature shows that the decidual immunological microenvironment may relate to the development of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy. Any approach that modulates immune tolerance at the maternal-fetal interface toward the natural state could provide insight in the treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.