title: Effects of serum from pregnant versus non-pregnant women on natural killer cell activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the effect of serum obtained from in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) patients on the healthy volunteers natural killer (NK) cell activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective non-randomized clinical study. Suppressive effect on NK cell activity was measured with serum obtained from 25 pregnant and 24 non-pregnant women during IVF-ET procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Suppressive serum effect of volunteers' NK cell activity was significantly higher in pregnant than in non-pregnant women (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The suppressive activity of serum from pregnant women on NK cell suppression activity was useful in predicting the establishment of a successful pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Osaka City University Medical School, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujino
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Umesaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D001769:Blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers