NK cell activity and subsets in women with a history of spontaneous abortion. Cause, number of abortions, and subsequent pregnancy outcome.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the role of NK cells in nonpregnant women with a history of spontaneous abortion.


METHODS
113 nonpregnant women with a history of spontaneous abortion were assessed for peripheral NK cell activity and percentage of NK cell subsets, in relation to the cause of abortions, the number of spontaneous abortions, and subsequent pregnancy outcome (n = 56).


RESULTS
Neither NK cell activity nor subsets showed a significant difference in relation to the cause or number of spontaneous abortions. NK cell activity in nonpregnant women who later experienced subsequent abortion with normal chromosomes (n = 10) (mean +/- SD: 42.8 +/- 15.8%) was relatively higher than that in women with subsequent live birth (control, n = 39) (32.1 +/- 13.7%) (p = 0.099). NK cell activity in women who later experienced subsequent abortion with abnormal chromosomes (n = 7) (28.7 +/- 21.4%) was the same as the level in the control.


CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral NK cell activity or subsets during nonpregnant status were not related to the cause or number of previous spontaneous abortions. A relation between preconceptional NK cell activity and later experiencing abortion with normal chromosomes should be further studied.
Morikawa
M
M
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
Yamada
H
H
Kato
E H
EH
Shimada
S
S
Ebina
Y
Y
Yamada
T
T
Sagawa
T
T
Kobashi
G
G
Fujimoto
S
S
D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000097:blood; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000502:physiology; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology
D019002:CD56 Antigen; D017452:Receptors, IgG