title: Quantification of the predominant immune cell populations in decidua throughout human pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To date, a multiplicity of factors contributing to the establishment and progression of a successful pregnancy have been postulated. There is emerging evidence that decidual leukocytes could be decisive factors during pregnancy. Despite numerous investigations on immune cells in human early pregnancy decidua, little is known about the physiological composition and proportion of the various immune cell populations during the different phases of pregnancy. In this study, we therefore analyzed the proportion of the dominant decidual leukocytes in human tissue samples derived from all phases of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Single cell suspensions were prepared from decidual samples from 205 patients at 6-40 weeks of gestation. Cell populations were analyzed by flow cytometry, and immune cell populations were quantified as percentage of decidual CD45(+) cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was generally no difference in immune cell counts comparing decidua of healthy gestations and those with systemic inflammation. Overall, the proportion of uNK cells continuously decreased, while the amount of monocytes, immature dendritic cells, and T cells increased until term. Striking modifications in cell counts were seen during the 7th week compared with the 6th and later weeks of gestation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studying the proportion of decidual immune cells during pregnancy, we detected a unique pattern which could be useful to design novel therapies for pathological conditions during pregnancy.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors: Catharina
authors: C
authors: Bartmann
authors: Sabine E
authors: SE
authors: Segerer
authors: Lorenz
authors: L
authors: Rieger
authors: Michaela
authors: M
authors: Kapp
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Sütterlin
authors: Ulrike
authors: U
authors: Kämmerer
mesh_terms: D002469:Cell Separation; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens
keywords: Course of pregnancy; decidua; flow cytometry; immune cells