title: Women with pre-eclampsia have an altered NKG2A and NKG2C receptor expression on peripheral blood natural killer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preeclampsia, a pregnancy disorder, is associated with exaggerated inflammation and increased serum monokines. Uterine natural killer (NK) cells are implicated in preeclampsia pathology, but little is known regarding peripheral NK cells in the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined blood NK cells at delivery in women with preeclampsia, in healthy pregnant women and in healthy non-pregnant blood donors as a reference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the percentages of both NKG2A- and NKG2C-positive NK cells were normal in preeclamptic women, the levels of NKG2A and NKG2C on NK cells were significantly up-regulated in these women. In vitro stimulation of PBMCs from healthy pregnant women and blood donors with monokines resulted in increased percentage of NKG2A(+) NK cells and increased NKG2A levels, while levels of NKG2C were decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the peripheral NK-cell pool is skewed in preeclampsia and possibly under the influence of monokines like interleukin (IL)-15 and IL-12.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bachmayer
authors.forename: Ebba
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sohlberg
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sundström
authors.forename: Rangeen Rafik
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Hamad
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Berg
authors.forename: Katarina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bremme
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sverremark-Ekström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007378:Interleukins; C527054:KLRC1 protein, human; C527059:KLRC2 protein, human; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D007371:Interferon-gamma