Abstract
The progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) is a protein that mediates the immunomodulatory effects of progesterone in cells with high proliferation rate, including embryonic and tumor cells. PIBF increases the synthesis of asymmetric antibodies and Th2 cytokines such as interleukins (IL) 4, 6 and 10, but decreases NK cells cytotoxic activity and Th1 cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and IL-12. The former causes a reduction in the rate Th1/Th2 that is distinctive of a healthy pregnancy, which it provokes an increment in humoral immunity as well as a decrease in cellular immunity. These immunomodulatory mechanisms enable the fetus to evade the mother immune system allowing pregnancy proceeds to term. Interestingly, several studies suggest that these same mechanisms are used by cancer cells to facilitate progression of tumors that exhibit overexpression of PIBF.
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