Changes in endometrial natural killer cell expression of CD94, CD158a and CD158b are associated with infertility.
OBJECTIVE
Cycle-dependent fluctuations in natural killer (NK) cell populations in endometrium and circulation may differ, contributing to unexplained infertility.


METHODS
NK cell phenotypes were determined by flow cytometry in endometrial biopsies and matched blood samples.


RESULTS
While circulating and endometrial T cell populations remained constant throughout the menstrual cycle in fertile and infertile women, circulating NK cells in infertile women increased during the secretory phase. However, increased expression of CD94, CD158b (secretory phase), and CD158a (proliferative phase) by endometrial NK cells from infertile women was observed. These changes were not reflected in the circulation.


CONCLUSIONS
In infertile women, changes in circulating NK cell percentages are found exclusively during the secretory phase and not in endometrium; cycle-related changes in NK receptor expression are observed only in infertile endometrium. While having exciting implications for understanding NK cell function in fertility, our data emphasize the difficulty in attaching diagnostic or prognostic significance to NK cell analyses in individual patients.
McGrath
Emma
E
Education & Research Centre, St. Vincent's University Hospital Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Ryan
Elizabeth J
EJ
Lynch
Lydia
L
Golden-Mason
Lucy
L
Mooney
Eoghan
E
Eogan
Maeve
M
O'Herlihy
Colm
C
O'Farrelly
Cliona
C
D000328:Adult; D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D002452:Cell Count; D002469:Cell Separation; D002909:Chronobiology Phenomena / Q000276:immunology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D054344:Receptors, KIR2DL3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1; D054344:Receptors, KIR2DL3