title: Human uterine NK cells interact with uterine macrophages via NKG2D upon stimulation with PAMPs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The initiation of an immune response often involves the cooperation of various innate immune cells. In the human endometrium, uterine natural killer (uNK) cells and uterine macrophages are present in significant numbers and in close proximity, yet how they cooperatively respond to infectious challenge is poorly understood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary autologous uNK cells and macrophages were co-cultured to determine functional interactions after stimulation with pathogen-associated molecular patterns.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After stimulation by polyI:C, human uNK cells interact with autologous uterine macrophages and produce interferon-gamma in an NKG2D-dependent manner. Stimulated primary uterine macrophages up-regulated the expression of MHC Class I chain-related protein A (MICA), but expression of the cognate receptor NKG2D remained unchanged on uNK cells, even in the presence of cytokines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that the NKG2D-MICA interaction is an important molecular mechanism that is involved in the innate immune response to microbial signals in the human uterine endometrium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA.
authors.forename: Satarupa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Basu
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pioli
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Conejo-Garcia
authors.forename: Teddy F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Mselle
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Wira
authors.forename: Charles L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Sentman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / Q000276:immunology*; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019002:CD56 Antigen; C527085:KLRK1 protein, human; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K; C495344:TLR3 protein, human; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011070:Poly I-C