CD56+ cells are recruited to the uterus in two waves: at ovulation and during the first 2 weeks after missed menses.
OBJECTIVE
Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are enriched in the post-ovulatory uterus and during pregnancy. Whether these cells arise from blood pre-cursors or from stem cells in the uterus is undefined. To support a hypothesis that precursors of uNK cells are recruited from blood, adhesive function of blood CD56+ subsets were assessed during one cycle and during pregnancy.


METHODS
Fifteen women of proven fertility provided serial blood samples during one menstrual cycle and thirty women with a history of implantation failure or recurrent spontaneous abortion provided serial samples during infertility treatment.


RESULTS
CD56(bright) cells, but not CD56(dim) cells or NKT cells, increased in ligand-binding capacity during ovulation in fertile cycles only and during the first 2 weeks from date of missed menses.


CONCLUSIONS
Enhanced adhesive function at ovulation in CD56(bright) cells in fertile cycles and during early gestation supports a hypothesis of recruitment of pre-uNK cells from the blood CD56(bright) subset.
van den Heuvel
Marianne J
MJ
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Health Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
Hatta
Kota
K
Peralta
Crystal G
CG
Han
Victor K
VK
Clark
David A
DA
D000818:Animals; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010060:Ovulation / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014599:Uterus / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D019002:CD56 Antigen