How semen exposure may help a mother's immune system accept her partner's baby
The role of semen in induction of paternal-specific tolerance during pregnancy
This project looks at whether contact with a partner's semen helps a pregnant person develop immune cells that tolerate the baby.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11283925 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will collect samples such as vaginal and cervical tissue, blood, and semen to study how immune cells first encounter paternal antigens. They will examine antigen-presenting cells and tiny particles in semen called extracellular vesicles to see if these carry paternal molecules that promote regulatory T cells. The team will compare immune responses in people with healthy pregnancies to those who develop preeclampsia to look for differences in tolerance. Lab tests will use advanced cell profiling and metabolic analyses to map how tolerance is generated at the mucosal surface.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people of reproductive age who are pregnant or planning pregnancy and willing to provide cervical/vaginal tissue or blood samples, and their partners who can provide semen samples.
Not a fit: People who are not pregnant, not planning pregnancy, or whose pregnancy problems are unrelated to immune tolerance mechanisms may not receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal mechanisms that help prevent pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and point to new prevention or treatment strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Epidemiological studies and early lab work suggest semen exposure can promote immune tolerance, but the detailed mechanisms in human tissues remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vojtech, Lucia N — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Vojtech, Lucia N
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.