title: Dendritic cells in the human decidua.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) in the pregnant human uterine mucosa have been poorly characterized, although they are likely to regulate immune responses to both placental trophoblast cells and uterine infections. In this study an HLA-DR+, CD11c+ lin- (CD3-, CD19-, CD56-, CD14-) population has been identified by three-color flow cytometry. The cell isolates were prepared either by collagenase digestion or mechanically from first-trimester decidual tissue. The decidual DCs comprised approximately 1.7% of CD45+ cells in the isolates and had the phenotype of immature myeloid DCs. No CD1a+ Langerhans cells or CD123+ plasmacytoid DCs were detected. The decidual DCs were DC-SIGN-, DEC-205+, CD40+. Two subsets could be distinguished on the basis of relative expression of HLA-DR, which also differed in expression of DC-activation markers. The DCs were identified in situ by immunohistology by DEC-205 staining. Cells with dendritic processes were found scattered through both the decidua basalis (in which trophoblast cells are infiltrating) and the decidua parietalis. They were also visible in endothelial-lined spaces. This is the first study to identify and describe the phenotype and distribution of human decidual DCs.
authors.affiliation: Research Group in Human Reproductive Immunobiology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moffett
mesh_terms: D018941:Antigens, CD19 / Q000378:metabolism; D039521:CD11c Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D003656:Decidua / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First
chemical_list: D018941:Antigens, CD19; D039521:CD11c Antigen; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; C410902:lin protein, Drosophila