title: Expression of perforin, granzyme A and TIA-1 by human uterine CD56+ NK cells implies they are activated and capable of effector functions.
abstract: At the time the human placenta is established, the uterine mucosal lining (decidua) is infiltrated by abundant CD3- CD56bright natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells circulating in blood are known to contain perforin and granzyme A in their cytoplasmic granules. TIA-1, an RNA-binding protein capable of inducing DNA fragmentation, has also been found in the granules of cytolytic cells. In this paper, we demonstrate the presence of perforin, granzyme A and TIA-1 in the granules of uterine NK cells. Sixteen sections of non-pregnant endometrium throughout the menstrual cycle and six sections of early decidua, together with cytospins of four preparations of isolated decidual leukocytes were stained by both immunohistology and immuno-electron microscopy to localize perforin, granzyme A and TIA-1 to the cytoplasmic granules of CD56+ cells. The presence in vivo of these cytolytic molecules in a normal physiological situation implies that these uterine NK cells may have effector functions in the control of normal placentation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Physiology & Genetics Research, Cambridge Research Station, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wooding
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Y W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Loke
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis*; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D053804:Granzymes; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000737:chemistry*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D054353:Perforin; D039102:Poly(A)-Binding Proteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D000074019:T-Cell Intracellular Antigen-1; D014599:Uterus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D039102:Poly(A)-Binding Proteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D000074019:T-Cell Intracellular Antigen-1; C071558:TIA1 protein, human; D054353:Perforin; D053804:Granzymes; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C509212:GZMA protein, human