title: Characterization of the subsets of human NKT-like cells and the expression of Th1/Th2 cytokines in patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion.
abstract: The objective was to investigate the subsets of natural killer T (NKT)-like cells and the expression of Th1/Th2 cytokines in the peripheral blood (PB) and/or decidual tissue of patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). The percentages of NKT-like cells in the PB and deciduas of URSA patients in early pregnancy and in the PB of nonpregnant women were analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of interferon (IFN)-γ (Th1 cytokine) and Th2 cytokines, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10, in the PB and decidual tissue was measured by quantitative RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Most percentages of subsets of NKT-like cells (CD3(+)CD56(+), CD3(+)CD56(+)CD16(+)) in the PB and deciduas were significantly greater in URSA patients than in normal pregnant and nonpregnant women. A cut-off value of 3.75% for the increased percentage of CD3(+)CD56(+)CD16(+) NKT-like cells in the PB appeared to be predictive of pregnancy failure. Moreover, we found that in the decidua, IFN-γ expression was significantly higher, while IL-4 and IL-10 expression was significantly lower in URSA patients compared with those with a normal pregnancy. The ratio of decidual Th1/Th2 cytokines in URSA patients was significantly increased compared with that in normal pregnant women. Decidual IL-4 expression correlated negatively with the percentages of blood CD3(+)CD56(+)CD16(+) NKT-like cells and the decidual CD3(+)CD56(+) and CD3(+)CD56(+)CD16(+) NKT-like cells. NKT-like cells may play an important role in maintaining normal pregnancy. Measurement of CD3(+)CD56(+)CD16(+) NKT-like cells in the PB may provide a potential tool for assessing patients' risk of spontaneous abortion.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 17 QiHeLou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. Electronic address: leona_yj@sina.cn.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 17 QiHeLou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. Electronic address: lijian02@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 17 QiHeLou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. Electronic address: shiyun713@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shi-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 17 QiHeLou Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. Electronic address: sunnix722@163.com.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D003656:Decidua / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D016207:Cytokines
keywords: Interferon-γ; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-4; Natural killer T (NKT)-like cells; Unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA)