title: Insights into the paracrine effects of uterine natural killer cells.
abstract: Uterine natural killer (uNK) cells are recruited into the uterus during establishment of the implantation and placentation of the embryo, and are hypothesized to regulate uterine spiral artery remodeling and angiogenesis during the initial stages of pregnancy. Failures in uNK cell activation are linked to diseases associated with pregnancy. However, the manner in which these cells interact with the endometrium remain unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the paracrine effects of uNK cells on the gene expression profile of an endometrial epithelial and stromal cell co‑culture system in vitro, using a microarray analysis. Results from reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‑linked immunosorbent assay experiments showed that soluble factors from uNK cells significantly alter endometrial gene expression. In conclusion, this study suggests that paracrine effects of uNK cells guide uNK cell proliferation, trophoblast migration, endometrial decidualization and angiogenesis, and maintain non‑cytotoxicity of uNK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yanxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100102, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhenzhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiudan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, Dongfang Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100078, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhe
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000502:physiology; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D019899:Paracrine Communication / Q000276:immunology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000276:immunology; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D043925:Angiogenesis Inducing Agents