Faculty

Margaret Petroff, PhD
Assistant Professor Anatomy & Cell Biology

Research Description

Our research area has been focused on the cross-talk between the reproductive and immune systems, and specifically on the immunological functions of the placenta. Because both maternal and paternal genes contribute to the genetic makeup of the fetus, the fetus can be considered "foreign" in terms of the mother's immune system. However, the fetally-derived placenta mediates the escape of the fetus from the maternal immune system through several mechanisms, such as by acting as a physical barrier, by being immunologically inert, and by actively suppressing the maternal immune system. Our goal is to contribute to the understanding of how the placenta actively mediates escape of the allogeneic fetus from rejection by the maternal immune system through expression of immunosuppressive cell-associated and soluble molecules. An understanding of this mechanism will provide much insight not only into the control of fertility, but also into the pathological situations of cancer, autoimmune disease, and allograft rejection.

Representative Publications

Petroff MG, Kharatyan E, Torry DS, Holets L. The immunomodulatory proteins B7-DC, B7-H2, and B7-H3 are differentially expressed across gestation in the human placenta. Am J Pathol 2005; 167:465-473.

Holets L, Hunt JS, Petroff MG. Trophoblast B7-H1 is differentially expressed across gestation: influence of oxygen concentration. Biol Reprod 2006; 74:352-358.

Petroff MG, Ka H, Phillips TA, PaceJL, Hunt JS. Purification and culture of human trophoblast cells. Placental and Trophoblast Methods and Protocols. Methods Mol Med 2006; 121:201-216.

Petroff MG. Immune interactions at the maternal-fetal interface. J Reprod Immunol. 68:1-13.

Hunt JS, McIntire RH, MG Petroff. Immunobiology of Human Pregnancy. Encyclopedia of Reproduction, Knobil E, Neill JD, Eds 2006; In Press.

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