Characterization of NKT cells in human peripheral blood and decidual lymphocytes.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether natural killer (NKT) cells are present in human pregnancy decidua.


METHODS
We calculated the percentage of CD3+CD161+Valpha 24+-NKT cells in peripheral blood and early pregnancy decidua, and analyzed intracellular cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)gamma in NKT cells using flow cytometry.


RESULTS
A distinct subset of CD3+ CD161+ lymphocytes expressing an invariant antigen receptor encoded by the Valpha24 and Vbeta11 segment was accumulated in the decidua. In pregnant subjects the percentages of NKT cells were significantly increased in the decidua compared with peripheral blood. Both NKT cells in the decidua and the peripheral blood had an ability to rapidly produce cytokine associated with Th1 (IFNgamma) and Th2 (IL-4). Interestingly, the percentages of IL-4 and IFNgamma producing NKT cells were significantly higher in the decidua compared with the peripheral blood.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that NKT cells might control the Th1/Th2 balance by producing IL-4 and IFNgamma at the feto-maternal interface.
Tsuda
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Sakai
M
M
Michimata
T
T
Tanebe
K
K
Hayakawa
S
S
Saito
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000276:immunology; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D011247:Pregnancy; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000378:metabolism; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D017252:CD3 Complex; C527203:KLRB1 protein, human; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D055651:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily B; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma