title: Reduced stathmin-1 expression in natural killer cells associated with spontaneous abortion.
abstract: Female CBA/J mice impregnated by male DBA/2J mice (CBA/J×DBA/2J matings) are prone to spontaneous abortion, although the reason for this is unclear. In this study, the stathmin-1 expression pattern was evaluated in uterine natural killer (uNK) cells purified from CBA/J×DBA/2J matings. Results were compared with those in a CBA/J×BALB/c control group that yields successful pregnancies. The mean ± SD percentage of stathmin-1(+) cells in the CD49b(+) uNK cell population was lower in CBA/J×DBA/2J mice (0.7% ± 0.4%) than in control CBA/J×BALB/c mice (4.9% ± 1.5%, P < 0.01) using flow cytometry, and the intracellular stathmin-1 level in uNK cells was lower in CBA/J×DBA/2J mice than in control mice using Western blot analysis. Co-localization of lectin from Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA-lectin) and stathmin-1 was confirmed using multivision immunohistochemical analysis. The frequency of stathmin-1(+)DBA-lectin(+) cells was lower in CBA/J×DBA/2J mice than in CBA/J×BALB/c mice. A similar trend in the frequency of stathmin-1(+)CD56(+) cells was seen in patients with unexplained spontaneous abortion compared with normal early pregnancy. A neutralizing antibody against stathmin-1 further increased the percentage of embryo loss in CBA/J×DBA/2J matings. These results provide evidence that stathmin-1 expression in uNK cells at the maternal-fetal interface may help modulate uNK cell function and may be beneficial for a successful pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China. yilinonline@gmail.com
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Wenjing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Jiehan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jingfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Di
authors.forename: Yanmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Da-Jin
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D020964:Embryo Loss / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D039421:Integrin alpha2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D037121:Plant Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D050777:Stathmin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D039421:Integrin alpha2; D037121:Plant Lectins; C493995:STMN1 protein, human; D050777:Stathmin; C493994:Stmn1 protein, mouse; C036554:dolichos biflorus agglutinin