Expression of Decidual Natural Killer (NK) Cells in Recurrent Abortion Patients with Increased Peripheral NK Cells. |
Hyun Joo Lee, Sun Haeng Kim, Kwang Moon Yang, Dong Wook Park, Chan Woo Park, Sung Ran Hong, Dong Hee Cho, In Ok Song, Mi Kyoung Koong, Inn Soo Kang |
1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Cheil General Hospital & Women's Healthcare Center, Korea. 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Korea University, Korea. 3Laboratory of Reproductive Biology & Infertility, School of Medicine, Korea University, Korea. 4Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Korea University, Korea. 5Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medicine, Korea University, Korea. |
|
Abstract |
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the decidual NK cell populations between increased pre-conceptional peripheral NK cell population and normal pre-conceptional peripheral NK cell population in women with a history of recurrent abortion. METHODS: Fourteen women with history of recurrent abortion and elevated pre-conceptional peripheral NK cell, above 15% of peripheral lymphocyte population were included in this study. As a control, twelve women with history of recurrent abortion and their peripheral NK cell percentage showed below 15% were included. Distribution of CD56+ and CD16+ NK cells in paraffin embedded decidual tissues including implantation sites were examined by immunohistochemical staining using anti-CD56, 16 monoclonal antibodies. After immuohistochemical staining, the numbers of decidual NK cells were counted and compared these results between study and control groups. RESULTS: There was significant difference in decidual CD56+ NK cell count (170.1+/-132.1 vs. 68.3+/-66.1, p=0.02) between increased peripheral CD56+ NK cell group and control group. But, there showed no statistically significant correlation between decidual CD56+ NK cell count and peripheral CD56+ NK cell percentage (r=0.229, p=0.261). Also there was no statistically difference decidual CD16+ NK cell count between study and control group (25.70+/-11.72 vs. 31.17+/-22.67), and no correlation between decidual CD16+ NK cell and peripheral CD16+ NK cell percentage (r=-1.40, p=0.535). Conclusions: This study shows that decidual CD56+ NK cell are significantly increased in decidua of women exhibiting a history of recurrent abortion with increased CD56+ peripheral NK cell. This study suggests that the percentage of peripheral NK cell reflect the expression of decidual NK cell. Consequently, pre-conceptional peripheral blood NK cell population can be the useful marker for detecting the risk of subsequent miscarriage. |
Key Words:
Peripheral CD56+ NK cell; Decidual CD56+ NK cell; Recurrent abortion |
|